Apple unveiled their new iPhone 8 and iPhone X handsets earlier this month with exciting new features including wireless charging. But in order to achieve wireless charging the fancy new iPhone 8 and 8 Plus had to switch to a glossy, glass back. Apple has advertised the new design as “the most durable glass ever in a smartphone.” However, based on this drop test conducted by YouTube account PhoneBuff shows that both the iPhone 8 Plus and Galaxy Note 8 performed horribly and their glass backs suffer damage when they are dropped (the drop test begins at the 1:29-mark). Both devices shatter instantly after dropped from only a few feet.
So how much will it cost you to fix a shattered glass back on the new iPhone 8? A rather terrifying amount. Under AppleCare+, cracking the back of your iPhone 8 or iPhone 8 Plus will not be covered under the $29 screen replacement. The repair will instead be classified as an “other damage” fee of $99 (plus tax).
[protected-iframe id=”d598e6d146371d187c89a803b6abb877-97886205-93291949″ info=”//static.apester.com/js/sdk/v2.0/apester-javascript-sdk.min.js” height=”404″ class=”apester-media”]
AppleCare+ costs $129 for the iPhone 8 and $149 and provides users with two screen replacements ($29) and two miscellaneous damage incidents ($99) over two years. However, if you damage your phone more than those three occasions the price jumps to $349 for the iPhone 8, and $399 for the iPhone 8 Plus.
Engadget explains why the costs will be higher than a screen replacement:
This is likely because removing the glass back is markedly more difficult than swapping out a screen. Unlike the front glass, the back glass is glued in really well, requiring much more effort to remove. AppleCare+ allows for two incidents of accidental damage, after which your repair price jumps up to $349 for the iPhone 8 and $399 for the Plus for anything other than a screen repair.
So you had better treat your phone like a newborn baby and never drop it because it will cost you dearly.
[TheVerge]