The new generation of ceramic shields proved no match for gravity in the latest case of iPhone 16 durability testing iPhone 16 Pro Max drop tests by Allstate Protection Plans showed that the new iPhone's 69-inch display suffered super-sized damage when dropped face-first onto concrete

Allstate, which sells insurance for mobile devices like the new iPhone, has been conducting damage tests for 13 years While the durability of cell phones has changed dramatically in that time, the impact of a six-foot drop on a glass device has not

“Advances in design, materials, and technology over the years have made glass products less susceptible to damage from liquids The iPhone 16 Pro Max has been tested in a drop test,” said Jason Siciliano, vice president of marketing and global creative director for Allstate Protection Plans, in a statement accompanying the drop test results for the iPhone 16 Pro Max

Specifically, when Allstate dropped the iPhone 16 Pro Max face-first onto concrete, the display shattered across the entire 69-inch panel, with abrasions along the titanium frame This result is similar to a drop test of the iPhone 15 Pro Max conducted last year, in which the screen was also shattered by raised and loose glass shards

Allstate noted that the iPhone 16 Pro Max's screen turned black on impact and then flashed slightly before permanently blackening Because the tester could still detect tactile feedback when pressing the power and camera control buttons, Allstate assumed that the iPhone 16 Pro Max could be salvaged with a screen repair (a procedure that would cost $379 at Apple if AppleCare Plus is not covered) )

In another Allstate test, the iPhone was dropped backside down from a height of 6 feet In this case, the back glass of the iPhone 16 Pro Max shattered and the glass housing around the camera was damaged However, the iPhone 16 Pro Max's camera still worked after the drop, which is an improvement over the iPhone 15 Pro Max's camera, which suffered damage to the lens itself in Allstate's test last year

Allstate's drop tests follow other iPhone 16 durability tests that have come out since Apple's new phone arrived in stores last Friday (September 20) In tests by AppleTrack, the iPhone 16 Pro Max stopped working after four drops, while the iPhone 16 Pro held up after 12 drops In tests by EverythingApplePro, both iPhone 16 Pro models withstood multiple drops

Different degrees of drops will have different catastrophes, but it is safe to draw some conclusions from these test results That nothing assembled by human hands is indestructible, especially when glass is a major component

And another lesson is that if you're going to spend $999 or more on a Pro model, you might as well pick a case that fits it to increase the chances that your phone will survive the fall unscathed If you're not sure which case to try, you can check out our guide to the Best iPhone 16 Pro Cases and Best iPhone 16 Pro Max Cases