When a new iPhone is launched, a small percentage of the units initially purchased do not lead a good life Instead, they are destined to undergo an initial torture test to prove how rugged (or not) they are

Such is the case with the iPhone 16 Pro launched on Friday, and while it's hard to call the video entirely scientific, the initial findings are nonetheless interesting

Take Sam Kohl's video from AppleTrack, for example As he did last year, Kohl took advantage of the time difference to fly to Australia and quickly compare the new iPhone 16 Pro with a brand new iPhone 15 Pro

The results were definitely mixed First, on the bad side, the iPhone 16 Pro stopped working after only four drops, and after falling from more than head height, a corner broke off and would not turn on The iPhone 15 Pro, on the other hand, continued to work from a dizzying height until the 12th fall, after which it stopped turning on

According to Cole's theory, an unfortunate sideways drop essentially hits the iPhone 16 Pro's screen because there is no bezel between the edge and the screen In such a case, it is touch-and-go whether you end up looking at an unsightly dent or a trip to the Apple Store Either way, it's a reminder that the best iPhone 16 Pro cases do more than just show off your personality

Again, there is only so much we can do to make these tests fair; even though they are a sample of two phones and dropped from roughly the same height each time, there are too many variables to be consistent And where the phones connect with the ground ultimately determines the extent of damage

Serious question marks over the method aside, it's a bit embarrassing for Apple, especially as the iPhone 15 Pro sustained similar round numbers in Kohl's test last year As he explains at the beginning of the video, Apple says Ceramic Shield (the company's screen protection technology) is “50% tougher (than the first generation)

However, there is evidence that there is truth behind Apple's claim that despite initial failures, Ceramic Shield's overall strength has improved Cole continued to drop the iPhone 16 Pro alongside the 15 Pro, and while the latter developed many spiderweb-like cracks along the screen, the former did not easily spread to other parts of the panel and appeared quite sturdy

“The 16 Pro cracked really early from its corners, but if you drop it continuously you can see all the different damage happening in different areas, but overall it is much less severe,” says Kohl

“The cracks and sharpness on the display panel itself are much less severe overall, which I believe is due to the new ceramic shielding that Apple is using”

There is also evidence to suggest that Kohl was simply unlucky with the initial breakage; a few hours after Kohl's Australian video was published, EverythingApplePro posted a drop test video In this video, the iPhone 16 Pro Max has a dead moment as seen in Kohl's video with a drop from head height, but it comes back to life with a hard reset, suggesting that maybe Kohl's phone was simply playing dead

Another interesting point is that early in the video, the new Pro iPhone lasts about 35-45 seconds longer on the heat mat before issuing a temperature warning This is interesting because it supports Apple's claim that changes made internally have improved sustained performance by 30%

Ultimately, things like these clips and videos should not seriously affect your decision to buy a phone The damage done to cell phones is not something most people see on a daily basis, unless they are very unlucky

If you're going to spend over $1,000 on an iPhone, you might as well spare a little more money for the peace of mind that a high-quality case gives you