Watch: Here is how Apple tests its iPhones for durability and water resistance
Check out the durability tests done to iPhone before they hit the stores.
Highlights
- Apple Labs has an entire room of machines for water and ingress testing.
- There are multiple levels of water spray testing done on iPhones to test how resistant they are.
- Apple has a specially programmed industrial robot and this will function as their drop test machine simulator.
Apple iPhones are some of the most premium flagships on the market. Right from the base model to the costlier Pro Max variant, we get top-end features like IP rating, advanced Face ID technology, titanium builds and more. Noted YouTuber Marques Brownlee aka MKBHD got a chance to visit Apple Labs and shows us a closer look at the durability test of new iPhones.
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Apple iPhone durability test
- MKBHD notes that Apple Labs has an entire room of machines for water and ingress testing. These are special machines and are probably custom-designed by the Cupertino giant.
- There are multiple levels of water spray testing done on iPhones to test how resistant they are before the phones hit the market.
I recently got to visit some Apple labs where they durability test new iPhones before they come out, and learned a few things (🧵THREAD)
— Marques Brownlee (@MKBHD) May 29, 2024
#1: Have you actually seen how they water test phones for IP ratings? (video) pic.twitter.com/Qh3hfmlmdn - In level one, a drip tray is done on iPhones simulating rain. This level has no real pressure, just IPX4. This should'nt cause any real damage to the iPhone.
- The second round shows a sustained, low-pressure jet spray from any angle. This round tests the IPX5 resistance of the iPhone.
#2: There's an entire room of machines for water and ingress testing
— Marques Brownlee (@MKBHD) May 29, 2024
Level 1: A drip tray simulating rain, no real pressure. IPX4
Level 2: A sustained, low-pressure jet spray from any angle. IPX5
Level 3: High pressure spray from a literal firehose. IPX6
Level 4: Locking the… pic.twitter.com/5R38I6QVmW
- The third round has a high-pressure spray from a hose (IPX6) onto the iPhone.
- Lastly, the fourth round has the iPhone locked underwater (IPX8) and there is an added pressure to simulate depth. This is done for an extended time, probably to see how long the iPhone can last without any water damage.
MKBHD says that Apple has a specially programmed industrial robot and this will function as their drop test machine simulator. This will simulate drops from angles onto various materials. There are slow-motion cameras to see the impact of the drop.
#3: Apparently Apple has also bought and programmed and industrial robot to be their own drop test machine - to simulate hundreds of different drop angles onto different materials
— Marques Brownlee (@MKBHD) May 29, 2024
Then they hit it with some ultra bright lights and a high speed camera to watch them back in… pic.twitter.com/EsNJbVQrbO
Then there is another test, where iPhones are seen shaking at computer-controlled frequencies. This is to see how well the device can hold up to that frequency over time. Apple can program the frequency of a certain motorcycle engine or subway car.
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When asked about how Apple connects the dots between controlled environment testing of iPhones and the possibility of various other ways of damaging iPhones by customers in the real world, John Ternus - Head of Hardware Engineering at Apple says, there are a large number of the team members who understand the failure mechanisms and co-relate to a lab test and field.
He sees this as a lot of years of evolution and learning. The company performs multiple tests on any given iPhone (10,000 models) before they are released to the market. There apparently are over 300 tests done. Lastly, Apple iPhones are very tightly sealed from within in order to protect them from any external particles entering inside, including water and this could be why the repairability scores of iPhones are quite low. However, the company appears to be easing on this slightly.