An iPhone 17 Pro has reportedly survived a fall from more than 100,000 feet in an unusual experiment in Sweden. The test has also earned a Guinness World Record, according to foreign media reports. The team fitted the iPhone 17 Pro with an AirX protective case before sending it into the stratosphere. A high-altitude balloon carried the smartphone to an altitude of 100,416 feet.
After reaching its maximum altitude, the phone began its journey back to Earth. The device took around 25 minutes to return to the ground. During the experiment, the iPhone faced extremely harsh conditions. Temperatures dropped between -40°C and -60°C, while air pressure fell to about one per cent of normal sea-level pressure.
The phone eventually landed in a forest in Sweden. The team then used GPS tracking to find and recover the device. After recovery, the team presented the iPhone 17 Pro to a Guinness World Records judge for inspection. Surprisingly, the smartphone remained fully operational after the dramatic fall.
The device could still switch on and off, make calls, and take photographs. Its exterior also showed no major visible damage following the impact. British aerospace company Sent Into Space partnered with the team for the experiment. The project aimed to test the AirX case beyond conventional smartphone drop tests.
The successful experiment demonstrated how the protective case performed under extreme cold, low pressure, and a major impact. It also showed that the iPhone 17 Pro survived one of the most unusual smartphone durability tests yet reported.
