Phone survives record 100,000-foot stratospheric drop

A smartphone protected by a phone case has set a Guinness World Record after surviving a fall from the edge of space. The device, an iPhone 17 Pro encased in a RhinoShield AirX case, was recovered intact in the Swedish wilderness on June 24, 2026, after being released from a high-altitude balloon at an altitude of 30,607 meters, or 100,418 feet. The record-breaking stunt was organized by phone case manufacturer RhinoShield in partnership with UK aerospace company Sent Into Space. The attempt was designed to test the extreme durability of the AirX case, which is constructed from a single, recyclable material.