A new drop test suggests that the recently launched iPhone Air performs disappointingly in terms of breakage resistance – compared to the classic iPhone 17 Pro. Although the iPhone Air has a lighter casing, it broke faster in the tests than the heavier Pro model.
Lightweight with state-of-the-art materials
When Apple unveiled its latest generation of the iPhone family a few days ago, one new addition in particular caused a stir – the iPhone Air (€ 1,199.00 *). In contrast to the new iPhone 17 (€ 949.00 *) and iPhone 17 Pro (€ 1,299.00 *), this one is significantly slimmer and therefore also lighter.
The iPhone Air is around 20% lighter than the iPhone 17 Pro. The frame of the Air is made of titanium, a material that is emphasized for its robustness. The front and back are protected by Apple’s Ceramic Shield (version 2). Despite this choice of material, the drop test revealed a weakness.
Breakage on the first drop – display and back of the case
In a standardized drop test from a height of 1.82 m onto concrete with the display side down, the display of the iPhone Air broke on the first attempt. The back including the camera module also succumbed to the impact and broke.
Although the display of the 17 Pro also broke in the same scenario, it was surprising that the back of the device survived the impact. This result suggests that the “more robust” casing design of the Pro model offers an advantage, at least in this case.
Bending vs. breaking: differences in pressure tests
Interestingly, the iPhone Air does not fare so badly in other tests. When pressure is applied to the back (e.g. attempting to bend the device), the Air withstands around 86 kilograms before deforming. With the 17 Pro, it is around 90 kilograms before the casing bends. This does not necessarily mean that the Air is far behind – but in practice, falls occur more frequently than even pressure.
Conclusion
Allstate’s durability test underlines the importance of additional protection such as a cover or shock-absorbing case, especially for the iPhone Air. On the positive side, according to teardown reports from iFixit, repairs to the iPhone Air should be comparatively easy. Overall, it is clear that the lighter, slimmer Aero design has unexpected disadvantages in the drop test. It remains to be seen whether Apple will make adjustments in the short term – e.g. with even more break-proof materials or additional factory protection.
