iPhone 17 Pro survives for days in mud after a near-fatal flood, while others struggle with scratches

A man nearly drowned and escaped the fatal outcome in a flash flood. His home was destroyed, along with everything in it. But the iPhone 17 Pro survived after being in mud for three days.

Now that’s quality material for the next storytelling ad by Apple, right?

Not even scratches

There’s a thread by Reddit user “bricksandcanvas” which tells the mind-blowing story of the devastating Typhoon Kalmaegi, which hit South Asia recently. While the author’s home and belongings were destroyed – a dreadful event on its own – his phone emerged from three days buried in mud fully functional. It may be pure luck, but it could be a testament to Apple’s durability claims.

In the early hours some days ago, a sudden flood turned a normal living room into a torrent of water in just minutes. What began as a small leak quickly escalated, with sewage-like water rising above the toes, then waist-deep, submerging the fridge, couch, dining table, and TV. Trying to get out the front door was not possible because of the rushing water

When the typhoon struck, the author’s house was completely destroyed, forcing him onto the roof to avoid drowning. He slipped into the rushing floodwaters, clinging to life for about 15 minutes before managing to pull himself back to safety.

During the chaos, he lost hold of his iPhone 17 Pro, which sank into the muddy waters. Injured and unable to search immediately, he waited three days before retrieving it. Remarkably, after plugging it in, the phone powered on instantly – no scratches, no damage, fully operational. A Big Tech miracle, if I ever saw one.

Quite the irony

While some iPhones can apparently survive three days buried in mud after a flash flood, the iPhone 17 Pro struggles to stay scratch-free under normal, careful use. Previous Pro models with titanium or stainless steel frames held up much better, while the aluminum frame of the 17 Pro, though good for heat dissipation, shows dents and scratches after just a month.The scratches are especially obvious on darker colors, making a $1,200 flagship feel fragile, even as rival phones like the Galaxy S25 Ultra or ceramic-backed devices may stay pristine after long-term use. Apple, once proud of titanium’s durability, now seems to have sacrificed longevity for lighter weight and thermals.

The irony is striking: a phone that could literally survive being buried in floodwaters may still need a case to survive everyday life.

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