Survive More Drops
This year Apple has added a new “Ceramic Shield” to all of its iPhone 12 models, which is promises offers up to 4X stronger protection against drops than prior iPhone models, and probably even most other competing smartphones.
The new glass was developed in partnership with Corning, likely as an upgrade to its Gorilla Glass 6 which is used in many other smartphones, and tests so far have borne out its increased durability against impacts, although it’s not necessarily that much more scratch-proof than prior iPhone models.
We’re not sure this is enough to encourage you to go without a case or a screen protector, but that’s ultimately a matter of personal choice. It’s worth keeping in mind that the rear glass on the iPhone 12 hasn’t been improved in any way, so dropping an un-encased iPhone 12 on a hard surface could still result in shattering the back glass just as easily. Either way, however, all other things being equal, the iPhone 12 screen should be able to survive accidents much better than prior models.