If you have been hankering for the iPhone 7 but are wondering whether the latest Apple smartphone is robust enough, then you will be pleased to learn that a new durability test conducted by a YouTuber will offer some answers.
Zack Nelson, who goes by the YouTube moniker JerryRigEverything and who recently put the ZTE Axon 7 through the scanner, subjected the iPhone 7 through a torture test.
Nelson managed to lay his hands on a production model of the iPhone 7 and attempted to destroy it with brute force. The video shows off the matte black variant of the iPhone 7 being put through the rigors as Nelson tests the smartphone for bendability and scratches.
"With this test we can find out if Apples' new iPhone 7 has a regular glass screen, or a super scratch resistant sapphire screen. After analyzing all of the different aspects of the iphone 7, like the camera lens, the home button, the rear aluminum, and the charging port, you will have a better understanding of what the phone is made of, and how much abuse the iPhone 7 can withstand in every day life," notes the video's description.
JerryRigEverything tested the iPhone 7 for scratches on the Moh scale of hardness. The iPhone 7 scratched at Level 6, like the average smartphone, keeping it at par with several other handsets.
Scratching the home button, which Apple says is made of sapphire crystal cover, threw up some surprises. The home button scratched to Level 6 as well, which leads Nelson to question Apple's claims. Why? Because sapphire glass can sustain scratches up to Level 9.
The earpiece seemed solid in the scratch test, whereas the aluminum back of the iPhone 7 in matte black held up well to the scratching from keys.
The camera lens was scratch-resistant when grazed using a razor blade. However, this too being sapphire is questionable as it scratched deeply at Level 6. The Quad LED True Tone Flash, as well as the antenna bands, were also tested by Nelson.
The iPhone 7 was also subjected to a burn test as Nelson put a lighter to the smartphone's screen — the handset recovered quickly and received a thumbs up from the YouTuber.
Those wondering if the iPhone 7 will be safe from bendgate, which plagued the iPhone 6, you can breathe easy as the latest Apple handset "does not appear to be flexible," declares the test. However, when the iPhone 7 was being bent, the adhesive — possibly the waterproofing substance Apple used — between the rear cover and display stretched.
Verdict? The iPhone 7 is overall a solid handset and passed the tests with flying colors. We wonder how the Jet Black variant, which Apple cautions scratches easily, would have fared!
Check out the video of the iPhone 7 durability test below.
