NEW YORK – As Apple pitches its newest smartphones, users may find they break more easily.

SquareTrade, a provider of protection plans for gadgets, tested five smartphones to see if they could withstand drops, dunks and other common hazards. It found the latest models aren’t as durable as last year’s iPhone 5.

The biggest loser was Samsung’s Galaxy S4, which failed to work after being submerged in water and being dropped 1.5 meters onto the ground.

The phone that withstood SquareTrade’s torture test best was Google’s Moto X, the first phone designed with the Internet company as Motorola’s new owner. Released in August, the Moto X is also the first smartphone assembled in the U.S.

“We were expecting that at least one of the new iPhone models would up its game, but surprisingly, it was the Moto X that proved most forgiving of accidents,” said Ty Shay, chief marketing officer at SquareTrade.

SquareTrade reviewed each device based on eight factors, including the materials of the front and back panels. It also tested the device’s ability to withstand drops from 1.5 meters and being dunked in water for 10 seconds. SquareTrade uses robots to do the testing to ensure consistency.

SquareTrade rates phones on a scale of 1 to 10, with a higher number reflecting a higher risk of breaking. All five phones tested were considered to have a medium risk of breakage.

The Galaxy S4 scored 7, the worst of the five tested. The S4 ended up not functioning, with its screen coming half off.

The iPhone 5S, made of aluminum and glass, scored 5.5, while the 5C, with a plastic housing, had a 6 rating. Both were worse than the 5 rating scored by the iPhone 5.

The Moto X had a rating of 4.5, surviving the tests with only the slightest dent. Shay noted that the phone’s innovative rounded back, molded to the shape of a user’s hand, makes it easier for the consumer to grip.