iPhone 4S and Galaxy S III go head-to-head in SquareTrade-sponsored drop test

Another one SquareTrade’s drop tests is back and for this round, we have the Apple iPhone 4S pitted against the new Samsung Galaxy S III.

There’s something oddly amusing about seeing a smartphone drop onto a hard surface, mainly if it’s not your own. Unfortunately, if you’re aiming to see whether the hard-earned cash you shelled out for a phone pays off in tormenting conditions, you’ll very rarely be happy with the end result.

That stands true with this face-off. SquareTrade performed three real-world drop tests on the iPhone 4S and Galaxy S III. The first is a typical fall from above a person’s shoulder when talking on the phone. Next is two kids throwing both devices up in the air and letting them crash to the ground and finally the handsets slide off the trunk of a car as it speeds away.

Surprisingly — and this is even surprising for me, a personal iPhone owner/worshipper — the Samsung Galaxy S III lost two out of the three drop tests compared to the iPhone 4S, which only received more damage than its competitor in one round. Usually, the iPhone’s glass front and back makes it the weaker of the two devices in question. The Galaxy S III’s front display shattered twice, but the plastic back remained sturdy throughout. At one point, the battery did fly out of it, but that’s better than the hardware legitimately crapping out.

Before a winner is declared and a war is started, know that the amount of damage will always depend on the angle in which any device falls. Check out SquareTrade’s full video below to see for yourself.

[via PhoneArena]