In order to enhance durability against cracks and shatters, the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro have what Apple refers to as “Ceramic Shield” protection over the display. Now, YouTuber JerryRigEverything has put through a litany of tests for the iPhone 12 Pro to find out more information about the durability claims of Apple.
As we’ve mentioned before, Apple is cautious to point out that the durability of Ceramic Shield refers mainly to drop and shatter durability, not scratch resistance. Earlier durability testing quickly showed why Apple focused not on scratch resistance but on drop performance.
The testing of JerryRigEverything concentrates on the durability of the iPhone 12 Pro against scratches. The test uses the Mohs scale of hardness to find that the iPhone 12 scratches start at level 6, with deeper scratches beginning to form at level 7.
On the other hand, JerryRigEverything determines that “surprisingly hard to scratch” is the stainless steel frame on the iPhone 12 Pro, even though it is obviously a big fingerprint magnet. While the paint still flakes off, a stainless steel razor blade had a hard time damaging the iPhone 12 Pro edges.
The iPhone 12 Pro’s glass back is essentially similar to the iPhone 11 Pro, serving as a’ sand paper to other items because glass is a very hard material.’ The sapphire covers are prone to minor scratches at level 6 and level 7 over the iPhone 12 Pro camera sensors.
The iPhone 12 Pro was also put through a fire test by JerryRigEverything, holding a lighter to the 6.1-inch OLED display. The iPhone 12 Pro’s display was undamaged even after thirty seconds, under the heat of the lighter. This is different from other phones, where, when the heat damages the pixels, the display sometimes turns white permanently. This could be an advantage of the Ceramic Shield.
Finally, the newest flat-edged design of the iPhone 12 Pro is able to easily withstand the bending test, with JerryRigEverything referring to it as a “cell phone non-flexing tank.”
The complete durability test from JerryRigEverything can be found below.