I don't think it's necessarily an issue that an electronic-device insurance company conducted the tests. They're going to want to know what the estimated risk of payouts will be and what to charge for premiums. It's not like they're owned by Google or Samsung, or have a known public bias against apple; they insure a lot of devices across the board.

What I think is rather moot is giving it the desgination as "most brakable iphone ever". If you're making a metric and ordering based on that metric, you're going to have one (or more equal) data point in the first position.

What would be nicer to know is, using these tests or a standard test-suite, how the iPhone X (and 8) compare to previous iPhones and phones by other manufacturers.

Well, are they not saying how the iPhone X compares to previous iPhones? They said it’s the most breakable.

Yes, you’ll have one in the first position, but do you expect that the most recent product would be in the first position? I don’t think that’s moot at all.

> Well, are they not saying how the iPhone X compares to previous iPhones? They said it’s the most breakable.

Yep, you're correct they did say that. I wasn't clear enough in my response to indicate what I meant. What I meant to say was, I would like to see how other iPhones rated on "standarzied" testsuite so consumers could see how much more fragile the X is than others. Even nicer would be if other manufacturers phones were rated on the same battery.

> Yes, you’ll have one in the first position, but do you expect that the most recent product would be in the first position?

Depends. I'd hope not but if they're releasing a redesigned product or a product with a new way of building the container, then it might happen. I use an Otter Box and I am pretty careful with my current iPhone but this easier break-ability would effect my purchase decision if I was going to buy a new phone right now.

Also consider the advantages to Apple.

It's their most expensive phone, targeted to people who have lots of disposable income.

The kind of person who, if they drop and break their phone, will simply go to the Apple store and buy another one.

Knowing that, why wouldn't you design that phone so it's slick on the sides, heavy, has glass on both the front and back and shatters like an egg when dropped?

If you put glass on both the front AND back, you're doubling the chances of a repeat sale!

This is blatant advertising for some phone insurance company

It's also true. Ars Technica has now published a story saying the same thing - https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2017/11/youre-gonna-need-a-c...

Agreed. That was my first thought also.

First thoughts aside.

Why is the back of the iphone made of glass in the first place. At least before it was like a usb key... you know 50/50 chance of breaking. Now they're gone full lightning cable and made it a 100% chance that some glass would break.

The iPhone X is targeted at a demographic of people with a lot of disposable income.

The kind of people who, when their $1000 phone breaks, will simply go to the Apple store and buy another.

So think of it this way: If having a fully glass front increases sales of replacement parts and devices, then having both the front AND back glass will DOUBLE those repeat sales.

Apple is not a nonprofit, and they didn't become one of the wealthiest corporations on the planet by being generous and altruistic.

Qi charging capability requires a back that is almost radio transparent, or something along these lines, which aluminum is not

Plenty of materials are both radio transparent and non-metallic.

I suppose I'll try to refrain from holding my phone over my head and dropping it. The breakability from 6ft is not terribly useful information for me.

How often have you fumbled something in your hands, tried to catch it, but ended up deflecting it off your hand so the object got projected higher in the air and received more damage? Happens to me all the time. My favorite experience was slipping on ice with my car keys in my hand. My arm (by reflex) went straight up in the air to counterbalance, fingers extended (again reflex, allows for better cushioning upon falling), and the car keys went flying across the parking lot. I'm sure that if I had a phone in my hand it would have ended up destroyed.

Not the person you replied to but that's never, ever happened to me. Your life sounds like a Mr Bean episode.

Ok, so a follow-on question. For those who have very good hand-eye coordination (where you tend not to fumble an object you are trying to catch), do you wear glasses, and if so is the prescription strong enough to introduce a lot of distortion (curvature) along the edges? I noticed that when I switched to contact lenses for a few years, I was surprised that I could actually reliably catch a ball. Back to glasses now, but I can't catch anymore, play pool, bowling, etc.

This happens to me enough I’ve gone through three iPhone screens and one iPhone camera. I now keep my phone in a wallet case with an extra protective screen. There’s no attraction for me to have an iPhone with more glass

Maybe you need to buy some better shoes.

http://us.vibram.com/technology/arctic-grip/

CNET dropped it from 3 feet and it broke on the first drop.

CNET tested the phone too.

https://www.cnet.com/news/apple-iphone-x-drop-test/

My X arrives this week. What’s a good case? Have a Spigen on my 7, and it survived several drops.

Well, 'SquareTrade' is the only one naming it that way. And it's pretty normal since they are an electronic device insurance company, which is not very trustworthy.

Apart from that, there are some other tests showing the rear glass is almost impossible to break, something not happening with the back one.

Maybe the title is a little bit click bait.

> there are some other tests showing the rear glass is almost impossible to break

Citation needed.

Also, it's not like SquareTrade have hidden their testing methodology.

> SquareTrade, a company that provides extended warranties for electronic devices, conducted several breakability tests on the iPhone X, and found that its glass back and lack of a home button make it "the most breakable iPhone ever."

Surprise! Insurance company..

That seems like the kind of company most interested/invested in knowing which phones are the most breakable, no?