iPhone 12 Pro Ceramic Shield Prone to Scratches, Durability Test Finds

iPhone 12 Pro has been put to a durability test by YouTube channel JerryRigEverything. The test includes multiple rounds to ascertain the resistance of the latest iPhone from scratches, flames, and bends. However, the prime focus has been given to the Ceramic Shield glass that Apple introduced with the iPhone 12 series to provide better durability. The special glass covering is touted to be tougher than any smartphone glass. But is it good enough to resist scratches, too? The durability test video revealed some details.

The over nine-minute video posted by the JerryRigEverything channel shows that despite giving a better drop protection, which has been seen in some earlier tests, the Ceramic Shield glass on the iPhone 12 Pro is just as prone to scratches as any regular glass protection. The narrator, Zack Nelson, demonstrates that the new model started getting scratches at hardness level six of the Mohs scale and the marks get even deeper at level seven. This is similar to the scratch resistance available on models including the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra and last year’s iPhone 11.

“Ceramic Shield is not the product that will bring us to the next level of Mohs hardness,” Nelson said in the video.

On the toughness part, the narrator also pointed out that Apple’s claim of giving four times better drop resistance might also come from the design of the new iPhone — alongside the distinctly designed glass protection.

“A piece of glass has six sides: front, back, and all four edges,” he said. “And with five of those six sides protected by this phone frame in a way that most smartphones are not built, it really does make this iPhone 12 Pro more shatter resistant.”

Apart from the front glass, the video tests the durability of the iPhone 12 Pro frame that is made of stainless steel. It is found to be quite hard to scratch, though the paint on top of the frame is easily to remove. Similar is the case with the back panel that has a rough fronted texture on top.

For the rear camera setup of the iPhone 12 Pro, Apple has retained its sapphire crystal lens cover. This also receives scratches at level six and seven of the Mohs scale.

Nelson also used his lighter to put some heat on the OLED display of the iPhone 12 Pro to see whether it gets any impact through flames. That testing resulted in “zero damage” — presumably, thanks to the Ceramic Shield glass protection.

“It is possible that Apple’s new screen material is keeping the heat away from the pixels,” the narrator said in the video.

The overall frame of the iPhone 12 Pro also seems quite solid as it didn’t bend, kink, or crack even after applying some pressure.

Similar to the iPhone 12 Pro, the iPhone 12 also went through a durability test earlier this week under which it found to have almost the same kind of toughness that exists on its premium sibling.

Are iPhone 12 mini, HomePod mini the Perfect Apple Devices for India? We discussed this on Orbital, our weekly technology podcast, which you can subscribe to via Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or RSS, download the episode, or just hit the play button below.