Apple, Samsung, and Google have all put real effort into making their flagship phones harder to beat up. The glass is tougher, scratch resistance has improved, and going without a case no longer sounds quite as reckless as it once did.
Apple has Ceramic Shield. Corning’s Gorilla Glass is everywhere in this category. Samsung uses Gorilla Armor on the Galaxy S24 Ultra, which Samsung says is four times more scratch-resistant than earlier versions. Taken together, that means current iPhones, Samsung Galaxy phones, and Google Pixel phones do a better job with spills, scratches, and the kind of everyday wear that used to show up a lot faster.
But they’re not scratch-proof. Durability tests on the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL show scratches at Mohs level 6, with deeper grooves at 7, so sand and grit can still leave real damage.
So if you’re trying to decide whether a case is still worth it, there’s a strong case for buying one. Screen repairs on flagship phones usually cost somewhere around $200 to more than $400. Cases also help with grip, reduce camera wobble, and can add useful extras like a wallet, a kickstand, magnetic charging support, or just a bit of personality through color, texture, and brand.
The phone case market reflects that. It topped $23 billion in 2023, and some market forecasts put it above $50 billion by 2033, even as brands move toward slimmer designs, recycled materials, biodegradable options, and cases that pull double duty.
These tougher phones are already on the market from Apple, Samsung, and Google. And stricter European Union rules on durability and repairability, including requirements for up to seven years of spare parts by 2027, should make it easier to keep them around longer.
Author: Sharilyn Deseo
{
"social": {
"email": "",
"facebook": "",
"twitter": "",
"linkedin": ""
},
"ja-JP": "",
"de-DE": "Sharilyn Deseo ist Content-Writerin und Rezensentin, die sich auf Software und digitale Tools spezialisiert hat. Sie bewertet Anwendungen kritisch und gibt Nutzern klare Einblicke, bevor sie eine Entscheidung treffen.",
"en-US": "Sharilyn Deseo is a content writer and reviewer specializing in software and digital tools. She critically evaluates applications and provides users with clear insights before they commit to a download or purchase.",
"es-ES": "Sharilyn Deseo es redactora y reseñadora especializada en software y herramientas digitales. Evalúa aplicaciones de forma crítica y ofrece a los usuarios información clara antes de tomar una decisión de descarga o compra.",
"fr-FR": "Sharilyn Deseo est rédactrice et critique spécialisée dans les logiciels et les outils numériques. Elle évalue de manière critique les applications et fournit aux utilisateurs des informations claires avant tout téléchargement ou achat.",
"it-IT": "Sharilyn Deseo è una content writer e recensore specializzata in software e strumenti digitali. Valuta criticamente le applicazioni e fornisce agli utenti informazioni chiare prima di procedere con download o acquisti.",
"nl-NL": "Sharilyn Deseo is een content writer en recensent gespecialiseerd in software en digitale tools. Ze beoordeelt applicaties kritisch en geeft gebruikers duidelijke inzichten voor ze een download- of aankoopbeslissing nemen.",
"pl-PL": "Sharilyn Deseo jest content writerką i recenzentką specjalizującą się w oprogramowaniu i narzędziach cyfrowych. Krytycznie ocenia aplikacje i dostarcza użytkownikom jasnych informacji przed podjęciem decyzji o pobraniu lub zakupie.",
"pt-BR": "Sharilyn Deseo é redatora e revisora especializada em software e ferramentas digitais. Ela avalia aplicativos de forma criteriosa e oferece aos usuários informações claras antes de baixar ou comprar."
}
View all posts by Sharilyn Deseo
