SquareTrade Finds Samsung Galaxy S6 the New Phone to Beat for Durability

SAN FRANCISCO, CA--(Marketwired - Apr 15, 2015) - SquareTrade^®, the highly rated protection plan trusted by millions of happy customers, today released the results of its latest set of tests on the durability of smartphones to coincide with the recent launch of the new Samsung Galaxy S^®6 and Samsung Galaxy S^®6 edge. For the first time, SquareTrade's Breakability Score™ incorporated results from its bendability test, thanks to the newest addition to its robot arsenal -- the SquareTrade BendBot.

See SquareTrade's Breakability test video here.

SquareTrade's Breakability Score test results showed:

1. Samsung took another step forward in durability with the Galaxy S6, performing well in the drop, dunk, slide and bend tests.

2. The Galaxy S6 was the least bendable of any of the phones tested: it survived 110 pounds of pressure before plastic deformation. Under the same amount of pressure, the Galaxy S6 edge cracked, and the Apple iPhone^® 6 and Apple iPhone^® 6 Plus bent. The iPhone 6 even separated near its volume button.

3. Samsung took a step back with our slide test: the new glass Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge slid farther than any of the other phones -- and twice as far as the plastic Galaxy S5.

4. Both new Galaxy phones survived six drops from six feet high without breaking -- perhaps due to their Corning^® Gorilla^® Glass 4 bodies. In comparison, the Galaxy S5's removable back popped off repeatedly, exposing the battery and other components. The iPhone 6 Plus broke apart entirely and stopped working 30 minutes later.

5. All phones tested perform equally when dunked into water for ten seconds.

The Galaxy S6 scored a 4 in Breakability, faring better than its Galaxy S5 predecessor, which received a Breakability Score of 6 in last year's test. However, the Galaxy S6 edge performed slightly worse with a Breakability Score of 5.

"Samsung has sharpened its game with the new Galaxy S6, the phone we believe is the new phone to beat when it comes to durability," said Jessica Hoffman, vice president of global communications for SquareTrade. "However, while thinner and larger screen phones like the Samsung Galaxy S6 and the Apple iPhone 6 are extremely popular, and continue to make gains in durability, our claims data shows that consumers are breaking them at higher rates than ever before; Americans have spent more than $23.5 billion on smartphone repair and replacement over the last 7 years,¹ and we continue to see those numbers climb."

SquareTrade carries out a rigorous set of tests on all new phones, and rates them according to breakability. The SquareTrade Breakability Score is based on a number of factors, from physical characteristics to the results of SquareTrade's drop, dunk, slide and bend tests. The higher a device scores on a scale from 1-10, the higher the risk of it breaking due to an accident.

For more information on protection plans for today's most popular smartphones, please visit: http://www.squaretrade.com/smartphone-warranty.

About SquareTrade
SquareTrade is a highly rated protection plan trusted by millions of happy customers for its fast and exceptional service. SquareTrade protects mobile devices, laptops and tablets, and other consumer electronics and appliances from malfunctions, accidental damage and life's frequent mishaps. Unlike old-fashioned warranties, SquareTrade is designed for today's consumer and uses innovative technology to deliver a zero hassle claims process. SquareTrade has more than 230,000 fans on Facebook, consistently wins industry awards and receives thousands of 5-star reviews for its legendary customer service. Top retailers around the world offer SquareTrade, achieving significant sales growth and happier customers. Privately held, SquareTrade's investors include Bain Capital and Bain Capital Ventures. SquareTrade is headquartered in San Francisco and London. For more information, go to www.squaretrade.com.

SquareTrade and the SquareTrade logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of SquareTrade, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners, who are not affiliated with SquareTrade and do not endorse its products and services.

¹ SquareTrade's 2014 Smartphone Accident Survey was conducted in August 2014, using Research Now. Feedback was collected from over 2,400 smartphone owners. Results were weighted by demographic variables to provide a representative sample of smartphone owners throughout the U.S. Market share estimates based on comScore's May 2014 U.S. Smartphone Report.