Apple’s new iPhone 17 series underwent battery and durability tests under new regulations implemented in the European Union. The results of these tests revealed that the iPhone models lag behind their competitors in durability but outperform them in battery life.

The iPhone 17 series was extensively tested

In the EU’s mandatory tests, the iPhone 17 Pro Max fell short of its competitors in drop resistance. It withstood 180 drops and received a Class B rating. This falls short of the Galaxy S25 Ultra and Pixel 10 Pro XL, which received a Class A rating after withstanding 270 drops.

However, the iPhone 17 Pro Max managed to outperform its predecessor, the iPhone 16 Pro Max, which withstood 90 drops. The iPhone 17 Pro Max also received a Class C rating for repairability. While this rating is on par with the Galaxy S25 Ultra, it falls short of the Pixel 10 Pro XL, which received a Class B rating.

Despite falling short in durability, the iPhone 17 Pro Max stood out with an A rating for energy efficiency. The phone achieved a high 53 hours of battery life. Its competitors, the Galaxy S25 Ultra and Pixel 10 Pro XL, received a B rating with 44 hours, 54 minutes, and 48 hours, 39 minutes, respectively.

However, one detail stands out: While the Galaxy S25 Ultra and Pixel 10 Pro XL’s batteries can withstand 2,000 charge cycles, the iPhone 17 Pro Max only has 1,000. Despite this, the iPhone 17 Pro Max also surpassed its predecessor, the iPhone 16 Pro Max, in this area; the iPhone 16 Pro Max achieved a B rating with 48 hours of battery life.

Apple’s new iPhone Air competes directly with the Galaxy S25 Edge. Despite having a smaller battery (3,149 mAh), the iPhone Air achieves nearly the same battery life as its 3,900 mAh rival (40:00 hours vs. 40:05 hours) and receives an A rating for energy efficiency.

However, the iPhone Air’s battery life is limited to 1,000 cycles, while the S25 Edge’s battery can last up to 2,000. In terms of durability, the iPhone Air is on par with the Pro Max: it withstood 180 drops, earning a B rating. The Galaxy Edge, on the other hand, received a 270-drop rating, earning an A rating.

Apple has voiced objections to these tests. The company claims that the drop and tumble tests are imprecise and the results are not easily replicable. Apple also objects to conducting the tests on only five devices and argues that the tests should be conducted on at least 30 devices. The company has also published a report on this issue.