Samsung's new Galaxy S5 smartphone is more durable than last year's model and other leading Android phones, but the iPhone 5s outperformed all of them in part because of its smaller size, a new survey finds.
The S5 scored well given its water resistance and a sturdy back panel made of plastic, according to SquareTrade, a provider of extended protection plans.
The iPhone 5s won points for being just 10 centimetres diagonally, compared with about 13cm for the Android phones. That makes the iPhone easier to grip.
Nonetheless, all the smartphones tested had a medium risk of breakage, and differences between the various phones weren't major.
SquareTrade evaluated the phones based on such criteria as size, weight, grip and the quality of the front and back panels. The company measured how far the phones slide when pushed across a table on their backs and how well they withstand drops from four feet and being dunked in water for 10 seconds. Robots were used to ensure consistency.
The S5 scored a six on a 10-point durability scale, with 10 having the highest risk. The new HTC One phone scored a 6.5, while Google's Nexus 5 had a seven. The iPhone 5s was at 5.5.
None of those phones is as durable as last year's Moto X from Motorola. It had a 4.5 rating, thanks to a rounded back moulded to the shape of a user's hand, making it easier to grip. Last year's HTC One model also had a 4.5.
The S5 and the One were the hardest to grip, while the One and the Nexus had poor marks for water resistance - the phones still worked, but had no sound.
Both the S5 and the iPhone survived the dunk test, even though only the S5 is officially marketed as water resistant - for up to 30 minutes.
