Picture This: Samsung Galaxy S20 Phones Shatter in SquareTrade Breakability Test

SAN FRANCISCO – March 9, 2020

New phones, new cameras, old problem. Samsung’s new Galaxy S20 phones may take  great pictures, especially the S20 Ultra’s 108-megapixel camera and 100x zoom, but just be sure you don’t drop them.  That’s because the new phones, and their new camera housings, shattered in a Breakability test from SquareTrade, an Allstate company and highly rated protection plan provider. 

Introduced in 2013, the SquareTrade Breakability Score gives consumers an independent assessment of the durability of  devices and how they live up to the rigors of our everyday lives. It considers the physical characteristics of a device, such  as size, components, and the materials that affect repairability, as well as how they perform in standardized robotic  tests that represent the most common damage scenarios for mobile phones. 

After testing the Samsung Galaxy S20, Galaxy S20+, and Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G, SquareTrade found that the smaller S20  was especially susceptible to damage when dropped, tumbled, and bent. The S20+ and huge S20 Ultra 5G fared better,  but still shattered on their first sidewalk drops, both face-down and back-down.  

The full Breakability Score video can be found here and reveals:

• Face Down Drop Test: After one face-down sidewalk drop from 6 feet, the S20’s screen shattered and went  completely black (not usable). The S20+ shattered and malfunctioned in one corner (barely usable). The S20  Ultra 5G suffered hairline fractures and loose glass was present on the front of the phone (but was usable).
• Back-Down Drop Tests: After one back-down sidewalk drop from 6 feet, the S20’s back panel was cracked and  the camera housing shattered with loose glass present (not usable). The S20+ shattered but the camera housing  survived (usable), and the S20 Ultra 5G completely shattered, including the camera housing (not usable). 
• Bend Tests: The S20 bent and suffered a cracked screen causing it to malfunction at 184.6 lbs. of pressure (not  usable). The S20+ bent at 170.8 lbs. of pressure (but was usable), and the S20 Ultra bent at 200.7 lbs. of pressure  (but was usable).  
•  Tumble Tests: After 60 seconds of tumbling, the S20 shattered front and back in addition to suffering a cracked  OLED display that rendered much of the screen black (not usable). The S20+ cracked front and shattered back  (but was usable), and the S20 Ultra cracked front and back in addition to suffering occasional screen  malfunctions (in need of repair).  
• Dunk Tests: All three S20 models survived 30 minutes in five feet of water without any damage. 
• Repairability: All three S20 phones have identical screws for all fasteners, simplifying repairs. However, overall  repairability was similar to previous Galaxy models (medium/difficult). 

“The quality of the cameras in Samsung Galaxy phones has always been exceptional and the photo capabilities of the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G are next-level,” said Jason Siciliano, SquareTrade’s vice president of marketing and  creative director. “However, our tests revealed the new enormous camera housing ‘bump’ design is susceptible to  damage when dropped. Given the cost of the Galaxy S20 phones, and the cost to repair them, it should probably be  handled with the care of a high-end camera rather than a phone—and getting a case is a must.” 

SquareTrade knows life moves fast and device durability is important. The company recommends using screen  protectors and phone cases, in addition to having a protection plan. For more information on protection plans for  today’s most popular smartphones, please visit: www.SquareTrade.com.