Allstate Protection Plans Finds Samsung's Smartest Smartphones Are Still Vulnerable to Human Error

SAN FRANCISCO – Monday February 5, 2024

The new Samsung Galaxy S24, S24+, and S24 Ultra hit the market last week boasting the most advanced AI capabilities to-date, including real-time translation, AI-aided texting, and generative photo editing. According to Samsung, the S24 Ultra also features enhanced durability with a “shield of titanium built right into the frame” and new Corning® Gorilla® Armor cover material which “offers an unparalleled combination of durability and visual clarity.” 

In its latest Breakability drop tests, Allstate Protection Plans found the Galaxy S24, which is made of similar materials as its S23 predecessor, suffered nearly identical damage as the S23 when dropped back-down on sidewalk from six feet, but was completely non-functional after one front-down drop. The larger S24+, also made of similar materials as the S23+ which survived our drop tests last year, shattered on its first front- and back-down drops and was unusable. Surprisingly, the S24 Ultra, despite its upgraded cover material, new titanium frame, and flat-edge design, also shattered after one front- and back-down drop from six feet, unlike its S23 Ultra predecessor which proved more durable in our drop tests last year. 

Damaged screens are the most common form of smartphone damage, costing American smartphone owners $8.3 billion last year in repair and replacement costs. In a recent survey by Allstate Protection Plans, 89% of smartphone users report sometimes using devices one-handed, and 78% report they have dropped their devices while doing so. In a world where multitasking with our phones is the norm, the durability and repairability of our phones has never been more important. 

The Allstate Protection Plans Galaxy S24 Breakability results and video can be seen here. It found that:​​

• Front-Down Drop Test: The S24 base model shattered on its first front-down drop from six feet onto a sidewalk, with both raised and loose glass across its surface. When powered on, its display malfunctioned and was inoperable. The S24+ also shattered after one drop with the most severe damage along its left side, including loose and missing glass. When powered on, it showed display damage in the upper left corner. The S24 Ultra shattered across the top of its screen, over its front selfie camera lens, and in a bottom corner near its frame. When powered on, it showed display damage along the right side. All three phones were unusable.
• Back-Down Drop Tests: The S24 base model cracked across the top and bottom of its back panel on the first back-down drop from six feet. The S24+ completely shattered across its back panel after one drop from six feet, with the most severe damage in the upper right corner. In addition, its 10MP Optical Zoom and 12MP Ultra Wide camera lenses shattered, and glass was missing from the 12MP lens. The S24 Ultra also shattered across its back panel after one drop from six feet, with the most severe damage in its lower left corner. When powered on, all three phones were still functional (with the exception of the two damaged S24+ cameras), though a protective case was required to protect the user’s hands from sharp glass.

“The new Galaxy S24 series features the most advanced use of AI in Samsung phones to date. While the AI features aren’t groundbreaking yet, they offer a glimpse into the future—and the S24 Ultra’s AMOLED screen is gorgeous,” said Jason Siciliano, vice president of marketing and global creative director at Allstate Protection Plans. “With smartphones being used more than ever before, multitasking and one-handed usage have become common, elevating the risk of accidental drops. Considering a new S24 Ultra starts at $1,299, protecting them with a case and screen protector is a wise choice.”

In addition to cases and screen protectors, protection plans can also safeguard against expensive repairs or replacements. For more information, visit AllstateProtectionPlans.com.

Methodology

Data Sources:

1. The Allstate Protection Plans 2023 Mobile Damage Surveys were conducted in May 2023, gathering 1,500 responses, and in December 2023, gathering 1,004 responses, among a representative sample of U.S. adults. Sample was provided by Cint. Population figures cited in this report are based on 2020-2023 U.S. Census Population & Household Estimates.