As the Samsung Galaxy S22 slowly begins to reach customers, we’re learning a few key details about its design. We partially know about the durability of the new trio of flagships, particularly the Galaxy S22 Ultra. A new drop test by Allstate Protection Plans sheds more light on the matter, making a few startling discoveries.
Allstate conducted three types of drop tests, including face-down, back-down, and side-down. As the video illustrates, all drops are from a height of roughly six feet on a “rough sidewalk.” The presence of a rear glass panel on the Galaxy S22 is the primary reason for the subpar durability scores. This is in contrast to the vanilla Galaxy S21, which featured a plastic back panel.
In the face-down drop test, the displays of all three phones shattered completely. The Galaxy S22 and the S22 Ultra were rendered unusable. While the Galaxy S22+ continued to function despite a shattered screen, it wasn’t safe to use given the cracked screen.
The three phones fared somewhat better on the back-down drop test, continuing to function normally. While the rear-camera housing stayed in place, the cracked back panel meant using it without a protective cover was unfeasible.
All three phones remained usable after the side-down drop test
Lastly, the side-down drop test returned minor damage to the “Armor Aluminum” frame of the vanilla Galaxy S22 and the S22+. However, the Galaxy S22 Ultra completely shattered around the corners, leading to cracks on the screen. On a positive note, all phones were usable after the side-down drop test.
VP and Global Creative Director at Allstate Protection Plans, Jason Siciliano, acknowledged the refreshing new design changes introduced with the new Samsung flagship trio.
“However, some of the design upgrades in the base S22 and S22 Ultra models have resulted in durability downgrades when compared to their Galaxy S21 predecessors,” Siciliano noted. “While these durability concerns shouldn’t prevent anyone from considering a Galaxy S22, they do increase the need for a case and screen protector.”
While a majority of the Galaxy S22 owners are likely to use a protective case/cover anyway, this drop test hopes to convert those that don’t rely on covers.
Meanwhile, getting your hands on the Galaxy S22 could prove to be a challenge. According to a report published yesterday, pre-orders of the new flagship lineup are facing unprecedented delivery delays. Additionally, we’ve also come across reports of some storage and color variants staying out of stock for the next three months.
2022-03-02 15:07:36