iPhone 17 pro survives 100,000-foot drop and sets Guinness world record

Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro has reportedly achieved an extraordinary feat after surviving a fall from more than 100,000 feet setting a Guinness World Record during a high-altitude durability experiment.

Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro has reportedly achieved an extraordinary feat after surviving a fall from more than 100,000 feet setting a Guinness World Record during a high-altitude durability experiment.

According to reports, the iPhone 17 Pro was placed inside a new AirX phone case developed by mobile accessories company Rhino Shield before being lifted into the stratosphere by a balloon over Kiruna, Sweden.

The smartphone was released from an altitude of 100,418 feet equivalent to approximately 30,607 meters. The height was more than three times the cruising altitude of many commercial passenger aircraft making the experiment an extreme test of the phone and its protective case.

During the experiment, the device spent approximately 25 minutes traveling through the atmosphere before reaching the ground. Temperatures reportedly dropped as low as minus 60 degrees Celsius exposing the smartphone to extremely cold conditions in addition to the impact risk associated with the fall.

One of the most unusual aspects of the experiment was that the phone was not equipped with a parachute heating system or special landing cushion. Despite the absence of these additional protections the device ultimately landed in a frozen lake in a remote and difficult-to-access area.

A search-and-rescue team located the phone approximately five hours after its landing. According to a Rhino Shield spokesperson the iPhone was found in fully working condition.

The device reportedly showed no visible scratches on its screen or body. It was also still powered on, and a call could reportedly be made from the phone after it was recovered.

The experiment highlights the growing interest in smartphone durability and protective technology, particularly as premium smartphones become increasingly expensive and consumers seek stronger protection against accidental damage.

While the test was conducted under highly controlled conditions and involved a specialized protective case the result demonstrates the level of protection claimed by Rhino Shield for its new AirX case.

The reported record-setting experiment has also generated attention because of the extreme conditions involved. A combination of extreme altitude freezing temperature a lengthy descent and an eventual landing on a frozen lake made the test significantly different from an ordinary drop or impact test.

The successful recovery of the device adds another remarkable chapter to smartphone durability experiments and demonstrates why extreme testing continues to attract global attention.