Durability by design: labs, regulations and the future of iPhones

Apple rarely opens its labs to outsiders, but this July it did. The move is no coincidence: the company has been trying to defuse a narrative that accuses it of making products hard to repair and of practicing planned obsolescence. At the same time, the European Union is preparing to enforce new repair and durability regulations on 20 June 2025 that will require manufacturers to provide access to spare parts and repair manuals for seven years appleinsider.com and pass stringent drop and endurance tests appleinsider.com. Meanwhile, U.S. smartphone sales are stagnating and Apple’s supply chain is moving to India, hinting at possible price increases knowtechie.com.

At iProX we review these stories and add context for readers who want to get the most out of their current iPhone or make an informed decision about jumping to a new generation.

Extreme testing: how Apple stresses an iPhone

During a media and researcher visit to one of Apple’s 200 durability labs, guests witnessed the intensity of the tests performed on iPhones and AirPods knowtechie.com. Devices are exposed to salt for 100 hours, intense light, dust from the Arizona desert and liquids like sweat or sunscreen counterpointresearch.com. Water tests simulate rain, high‑pressure jets and submersion to achieve IPX5, IPX6 and IPX8 ratings counterpointresearch.com. A robot drops phones at different angles onto granite and asphalt to reproduce accidental falls counterpointresearch.com.

According to Counterpoint Research, Apple puts at least 10 000 iPhones through these trials before each launch counterpointresearch.com. The result is that a typical iPhone retains about 40 percent more resale value than an Android phone knowtechie.com and iPhones account for over 56 percent of the global refurbished smartphone market knowtechie.com. However, the research acknowledges a dilemma: making a product more durable often means more complex assemblies, which can make it harder to repair knowtechie.comcounterpointresearch.com.

What can users do? Apple recommends using protective cases with raised edges to keep the screen from hitting the ground knowtechie.com and notes that data from AppleCare repairs feed back into product design counterpointresearch.com. To extend a phone’s life you can avoid drops, care for the battery and choose repairs with genuine parts, something that’s now easier because Apple is expanding its programme to calibrate used parts apple.com.

The regulatory challenge: the EU tightens the screws

The European ecodesign legislation will require manufacturers to provide batteries, buttons, microphones, speakers, cameras and other components as standalone parts for seven years appleinsider.com. They must also publish accessible repair manuals and ensure some repairs (such as screen replacement) can be performed by non‑specialists appleinsider.com.

On durability, phones will have to survive 45 drops from 1 metre appleinsider.com, resist scratches to Mohs hardness level 4 appleinsider.com, block dust particles over 1 mm and withstand water splashes appleinsider.com. Batteries must keep 80 percent capacity after 800 cycles and offer an optional 80 percent charge limit to extend their life appleinsider.com. The rules require at least five years of security and operating system updates after a model stops selling appleinsider.com and prohibit performance‑degrading updates without a fix appleinsider.com.

Apple appears ready: the iPhone 16 uses an aerospace‑grade aluminium frame and Ceramic Shield glass claimed to be twice as tough as any smartphone glass, plus IP68 dust and water resistance apple.com. Apple also says that models from iPhone 15 onward maintain 80 percent battery capacity after 1 000 cycles appleinsider.com. But it still needs to adapt its parts‑pairing system so used or third‑party parts work without restrictions. The company has announced it will allow on‑device calibration of used parts and expand the repair history to indicate whether a part is new or reused apple.com. The challenge is to make repair intuitive and affordable for end users, not just meet the letter of the law.

Market and supply chain: warning signals

The news doesn’t stop at the lab. A Canalys report shows that U.S. smartphone shipments grew only 1 percent in Q2 2025 knowtechie.com. Apple, however, saw its shipments drop 11 percent year‑on‑year to 13.3 million units knowtechie.com. The surge in Q1 was fuelled by consumers rushing to buy expensive phones before anticipated tariffs knowtechie.com. In Q2, demand plunged as cheaper models gained popularity and higher living costs made people cautious knowtechie.com.

At the same time, smartphone manufacturing is rapidly shifting from China to India. 44 percent of phones imported into the U.S. now come from India, up from 13 percent a year earlier knowtechie.com, and analysts expect India to make 25 percent of all iPhones globally by 2025 knowtechie.com. The move aims to reduce geopolitical risk, but it could also raise costs in the short term and affect retail prices. Samsung, for instance, increased shipments by 38 percent thanks to low‑cost models, boosting its U.S. share from 23 percent to 31 percent, while Apple’s share fell from 56 percent to 49 percent knowtechie.com.

Should you switch to an iPhone 16?

The iPhone 16 introduces the A18 chip, built for Apple Intelligence, jumping two generations ahead of the A16 Bionic in the iPhone 15 apple.com. The new chip enables more powerful computational photography and a camera‑control mode, while still improving energy efficiency apple.com. The device includes a larger battery that, together with the A18, delivers up to 27 hours of video playback on the 16 Plus and 22 hours on the 16 apple.com. It also features a customisable Action button that can trigger the flashlight, record a voice memo or run shortcuts apple.com.

Is it worth it? If your current iPhone still works, you can extend its life by replacing the battery or fixing the screen instead of buying a new device. Hardware from the iPhone 15 onward already offers 1 000 charge cycles before dropping to 80 percent capacity appleinsider.com, and Apple provides iOS updates for at least five years appleinsider.com. The iPhone 16’s improvements—faster chip, slightly bigger battery and new AI features—are incremental. IP68 resistance and Ceramic Shield glass already appear in previous models apple.com.

If you’re looking for a phone to keep for several years, the iPhone 16 offers gains in power and autonomy, but its price could be affected by supply‑chain shifts and tariffs. Consider certified refurbished models: thanks to Apple’s proven durability and value retention, an earlier‑generation iPhone may be more than enough for most users.

Conclusion: Beyond the Device

This week’s news highlights Apple’s balancing act between durability, repairability and competitiveness. The company’s extreme testing labs show a commitment to products that last and can enjoy a second life counterpointresearch.com, while European regulations push for better repairability and transparency appleinsider.com. At the same time, the market indicates that consumers are delaying upgrades for economic reasons and that production is shifting to new countries knowtechie.com. For users, the lesson is clear: caring for and repairing your device may be the best investment, and the decision to upgrade should be based on real needs, not trends.