Skip to main content

The context you need, when you need it

When news breaks, you need to understand what actually matters — and what to do about it. At Vox, our mission to help you make sense of the world has never been more vital. But we can’t do it on our own.

We rely on readers like you to fund our journalism. Will you support our work and become a Vox Member today?

Join now

The iPhone 7 handled a bit of water swimmingly, but fell down during a drop test

Headphone jack or no, it also bends like its predecessors.

The iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus after a drop test.
The iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus after a drop test.
SquareTrade

As soon as a new iPhone comes out, the folks at gadget insurer SquareTrade rush to see how easily it will break.

Now, with the iPhone boasting some measure of water resistance, SquareTrade had to see if they could drown the poor thing.

The good news, for Apple and owners of its phones, is that they survived the dip fine, lasting the promised half hour in a meter of water.

On the other hand, the new iPhone broke when dropped at roughly the same rates and stresses as its predecessors, although the 7 Plus did better with SquareTrade’s Tumblebot than did the 6s Plus. No iPhones do well when dropped on the sidewalk, which is reason enough to ensconce the device in a case.

But what fun is talking about dropping and soaking the iPhone when you can see it for yourself?

Here’s a chart SquareTrade put together with the results.

This article originally appeared on Recode.net.

More in Technology

Technology
The case for AI realismThe case for AI realism
Technology

AI isn’t going to be the end of the world — no matter what this documentary sometimes argues.

By Shayna Korol
Politics
OpenAI’s oddly socialist, wildly hypocritical new economic agendaOpenAI’s oddly socialist, wildly hypocritical new economic agenda
Politics

The AI company released a set of highly progressive policy ideas. There’s just one small problem.

By Eric Levitz
Future Perfect
Human bodies aren’t ready to travel to Mars. Space medicine can help.Human bodies aren’t ready to travel to Mars. Space medicine can help.
Future Perfect

Protecting astronauts in space — and maybe even Mars — will help transform health on Earth.

By Shayna Korol
Podcasts
The importance of space toilets, explainedThe importance of space toilets, explained
Podcast
Podcasts

Houston, we have a plumbing problem.

By Peter Balonon-Rosen and Sean Rameswaram
Technology
What happened when they installed ChatGPT on a nuclear supercomputerWhat happened when they installed ChatGPT on a nuclear supercomputer
Technology

How they’re using AI at the lab that created the atom bomb.

By Joshua Keating
Future Perfect
Humanity’s return to the moon is a deeply religious missionHumanity’s return to the moon is a deeply religious mission
Future Perfect

Space barons like Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk don’t seem religious. But their quest to colonize outer space is.

By Sigal Samuel