An iPhone took a 16,000-foot drop and survived after being expelled from the Alaska Airlines plane cabin. The handset was discovered intact, with everything working perfectly. We have previously seen a boatload of durability tests surrounding the iPhone's tough outer shell. While the tests reveal mixed results, they can not beat a real-world event, considering the iPhone's durability.
iPhone survives a 16,000-foot drop from a plane cabin, but there are various factors for its perfect condition
Sean Bates, a Vancouver, Washington resident, shared images of the iPhone on X after he found the device on the Barnes Road in Portland, Oregon. After falling from more than 16,000 feet, the iPhone appears to be in perfect working condition. Upon cleaning, it was found that the iPhone was still on the Alaskan Airlines email. What is surprising is that the display was working fine, and it had little to no damage. Furthermore, the iPhone was still in Airplane mode.
Note that the iPhone survived the great fall, potentially due to a case and falling on a soft spot on the ground. The results could have differed if the device had dropped on concrete or a hard surface. Nonetheless, it is still great to see the iPhone working perfectly. Sean Bates notified the National Transportation Safety Board of what he had discovered on the side of the road. Upon request, the officials took hold of the device. The authority told Bates that it was the second device found from the flight.
If you are unfamiliar with the event, a portion of the Alaska Airlines cabin blew off shortly after it took to the sky. Fortunately, the crew managed to land the plane safely. The event took place at the Portland International Airport. The sudden depressurization in the Alaska Airlines plane cabin caused smaller items to be sucked out. However, there are various reasons why the iPhone survived the massive drop.
Found an iPhone on the side of the road... Still in airplane mode with half a battery and open to a baggage claim for #AlaskaAirlines ASA1282 Survived a 16,000 foot drop perfectly in tact!
When I called it in, Zoe at @NTSB said it was the SECOND phone to be found. No door yet😅 pic.twitter.com/CObMikpuFd
— Seanathan Bates (@SeanSafyre) January 7, 2024
The iPhone was housed in a case that took most of the external damage. Additionally, since the iPhone is a comparatively lighter device, weighing only a few hundred grams, the impact would incur limited force. Despite its lighter weight, the glass is still prone to breaking, and this specific iPhone took physics and luck into account to survive the 16,000-foot drop from a plane.
We have previously reported on various occasions how the iPhone survived challenging situations where it endured great falls from the sky and underwater for extended periods. Note that a case on the iPhone goes a long way if you want to protect it.
About the author: Ali Salman is a technology reporter for Wccftech mobile section with a specialized focus on Apple and the intellectual property that drives mobile innovation. He has cultivated a unique expertise in analyzing and deconstructing complex technology patents, translating dense legal and technical documents into clear, insightful reports on future products.
Follow Wccftech on Google to get more of our news coverage in your feeds.
