Apple is yet again under intense scrutiny. Criticisms have mounted after the iPhone 7 failed a durability test involving its camera lens.
According to the YouTube channel JerryRigEverything, a technology reviewer who tests the vulnerability of gadgets, the glass used in the iPhone 7 is not pure sapphire. The procedure is just a part of a series of trials which rigorously challenges the claims made by product manufacturers.
The glass experiment uses a Tissot watch with its sapphire crystal surface as a control material. Based on the Mohs scale of hardness, the time piece scored an 8 on scratch which is the anticipated mark. Tempered glass usually gets a 5 or 6 result.
The iPhone 7 lens gets a 6 for testing positive on sapphire presence but only on its surface. Looking closely through an electron microscope, a couple of things have been noted. First, the inner layer of the lens, which contained a mixture of silicon and niobium, is thin. The significance of these particles is only associated with reducing internal reflections. Second, although there is aluminum oxide, which indicates sapphire crystal, a considerable amount of carbon and silicon contaminants are also present. The compounds make Apple's sapphire vulnerable.
Results point out that the iPhone 7 contains a sapphire element. The crystal is stronger than regular glass. However, it is less durable when measured with the toughness of pure sapphire.
Furthermore, experimental runs show that the display surface of the device gets easily scratched just like any other phones. Although the back part of the case is metal, serious grinding will eventually wore it out. Tapping the keys present no ill effects but pointing sharp objects at the pads will leave a mark.
Initial tests present that the iPhone 7 will not bend compared to the previous model. Succeeding stress trials reveal something else. During a series of bending processes, the probability that the adhesive surrounding the screen will break is highly likely. This means that users must be cautious when keeping their devices inside their pockets.
With regard to the Lighting port, which functions dually as a charging line and as a new headphone jack, prolonged usage will break it down due to the effects of accelerated wear and tear.
