Revealed: Apple’s Secretive iPhone Torture Testing Labs [VIDEO]

Tech reviewer Marques Brownlee, known as MKBHD, recently toured Apple’s testing laboratories to show us how the company ensures the durability of new iPhones before their release.

“Have you actually seen how they water test phones for IP ratings?” MKBHD said on X last week. He described a comprehensive water and ingress testing process in a room filled with specialized machines.

I recently got to visit some Apple labs where they durability test new iPhones before they come out, and learned a few things (🧵THREAD)

#1: Have you actually seen how they water test phones for IP ratings? (video) pic.twitter.com/Qh3hfmlmdn

— Marques Brownlee (@MKBHD) May 29, 2024

The levels of testing include:

• A drip tray simulating rain for IPX4 rating.
• Sustained, low-pressure jet sprays from any angle for IPX5 rating.
• High-pressure sprays from a firehose for IPX6 rating.
• Submersion with added pressure to simulate depth for an extended period for IPX8 rating.

MKBHD also noted that Apple uses an industrial robot to perform drop tests, simulating hundreds of different drop angles onto various materials. “Then they hit it with some ultra-bright lights and a high-speed camera to watch them back in incredibly slow motion. You can literally see the titanium frame wobble on ground impact,” he explained.

Another test involves exposing devices to computer-controlled frequencies to simulate real-world conditions such as vibrations from a motorcycle engine or a subway car. “It’s literally shaking everything at computer-controlled frequencies,” said Brownlee.

During his visit, Brownlee spoke with John Ternus, Apple’s Head of Hardware Engineering. Ternus provided insights into why the iPhone is harder to repair. Recently, rumours claimed Ternus might a possible candidate to be Apple’s next CEO.

“It was interesting hearing straight from the top why the iPhone is harder to repair,” Brownlee commented. He also noted that Apple is gradually softening its stance on repairability, moving slightly on the durability versus repairability spectrum.

Brownlee highlighted the scale of Apple’s testing, revealing that the company tests over 10,000 pre-release phones to ensure quality and durability.

It’s pretty neat to see behind the scenes on how Apple put their iPhones through torture tests. But still, Apple please give us a major iPhone update already instead of distracting us with these side videos.