iPhone 6 Plus Bending Issues

Most gadget-savvy individuals are now most likely familiar with #BendGate. It was created after Apple’s iPhone 6 Plus bending issue was addressed. Well, on the inside of the chassis right under the volume buttons lies a specific weak point that causes the phone to easily bend when enough pressure is added. For some, this might not be an issue but a video that was recently published with regards to the problem had already gone viral over the Internet –it is probably this year’s most shocking tech video.

The video was posted by Lewis Hilsenteger from Ubox Therapy where he actually bended an iPhone 6 Plus on camera and noted the phone’s specific weak point. The guy did not expect such video would be the Internet’s next biggest sensation. He assumed that it would at least gain him a good amount of traction. The video eventually has turned him into a PR nightmare for Apple.

(photo source: 9to5mac)

Well, I have to agree with the post by 9to5mac that the issue is very arguable. Anything has a weak point, even the many pencils I’ve broken while I was in college. When enough pressure and intention are applied to a particular area, it can be bent or even broken. The iPhone 6 Plus is not only big but also thin in design. The video addresses the iPhone 6 Plus’s weak point which is within the chassis of the phone.

The following statement is Apple’s response to BendGate’s video:

Our iPhones are designed, engineered and manufactured to be both beautiful and sturdy. iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus feature a precision engineered unibody enclosure constructed from machining a custom grade of 6000 series anodized aluminum, which is tempered for extra strength. They also feature stainless steel and titanium inserts to reinforce high stress locations and use the strongest glass in the smartphone industry. We chose these high-quality materials and construction very carefully for their strength and durability. We also perform rigorous tests throughout the entire development cycle including 3-point bending, pressure point cycling, sit, torsion, and user studies. iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus meet or exceed all of our high quality standards to endure everyday, real life use.

With normal use a bend in iPhone is extremely rare and through our first six days of sale, a total of nine customers have contacted Apple with a bent iPhone 6 Plus. As with any Apple product, if you have questions please contact Apple.”

Matt Honan came out with his own theory regarding the iPhone 6 Plus issue. He stated that the issue is probably due to the phone’s design –it’s extremely thin yet very big and made of aluminium. Unlike iPhone 6 Plus, the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is big but it is not extremely thin either; it is in fact 4 mm thicker than the iPhone 6 Plus and does not have an aluminium back that stays bent when being bent. Android phones do not have such problem because they are either too thick, or made out of plastic. Matt did not dismiss the issue and he clearly addressed his concerns about the phone’s durability. Durability issue is something unlikely to happen in Apple but maybe we are dealing with a different Apple now.

(photo source: 9to5mac)

Re/code reported that Apple had put about 15,000 iPhone 6 and 6 Plus for test before they were allowed to enter the market. Unfortunately, Apple failed to notice the bending issue. According to Consumer Reports, it had put some devices through legitimated series of tests but failed to test the specific problematic area. Likewise, any object that is placed in the same place as any of the phones in the test, the results will be similar –simply because anything will bend when it is being bent. Also, it took Consumer Reports 90 pounds of pressure to bend the iPhone 6 Plus and it was done in the centre of the device. If it’s true that they had applied force in the phone’s weak point as shown on Hilsenteger’s video, the phone would have already folded when pressure is applied. Even when the phone is bent right in the centre, it showed problems at the same fracture point addressed by Hilsenteger.

Based on a post from MacRumours forum, user “hanzoh’ claimed that his iPhone 6 Plus had bent after he had it kept in his pocket for four hour when he was driving and remained there until he got home. This was how it looked like after being kept for long in his suit pants front pocket: