Video demonstrates reported iPhone 6 Plus bending issues

Posted:
in iPhone edited September 2014
A video posted to YouTube on Tuesday confirms Apple's iPhone 6 Plus can be bent using a moderate amount of force, an issue some owners are seeing after sitting down with the device in their front pants pocket.


Source: Unbox Therapy via YouTube


As demonstrated by a video posted to YouTube channel Unbox Therapy, vlogger Lewis Hilsenteger was able to bend the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus with his bare hands, suggesting the large-faced aluminum chassis has less structural stability than past iPhone models.

The video, embedded below, shows the iPhone 6 Plus being stressed out from a central point on the rear of the case, while at the same time being pulled in from the edges. Despite a large slab of "Ion X" glass and internal design, the metal casing buckled near the lower edge of a cutout made to house the unit's volume buttons.

For many, the result is to be expected considering the iPhone's thin design and materials used, both of which push the limits of engineering. Those not familiar with stress thresholds, material properties and design, however, may confuse the situation with poor quality control, as seen by numerous anecdotal reports earlier on Tuesday.



Perhaps most troubling is the fact that some iPhone 6 Plus owners are saying their handset bent when placed in a front pocket, a location used by many to protect their smartphone from being sat upon.

Hilsenteger also notes that his iPhone 6 Plus was showed signs of slight bending with normal use prior to shooting the video, though it is not clear if the pre-bend weakened the unit's structural integrity and contributed to the apparent ease with which the case was warped.

News flash: Don't put your iPhone (or any phone) in your back pocket and sit on it. It may break. -30-

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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 543

    There is a magic trick of bending metal that a magician named Uri Geller had perfected.  I bet the trick would work with some of the aluminum phones.

  • Reply 2 of 543

    As a new iPhone 6 Plus owner...I have to admit this is pretty troubling.  I imagine keeping your phone in a case SHOULD help with this situation, but for the price of the phone this is pretty unacceptable.  Hopefully Apple addresses this concern, soon, as I intend to carry my phone in my front pocket (pretty obviously). 

     

    This may be cause for Apple to supply all plus owners with a free protective case to withstand the bend...

     

    If they don't answer to this at all, I would be really shocked.  Especially considering the overwhelming number of people experiencing the issue.  I've been lucky enough not to yet, but I'm definitely not taking any risks. 

  • Reply 3 of 543
    This should be interesting to watch Play out.
  • Reply 4 of 543

    lol. 6+ is not a pocket phone.

  • Reply 5 of 543
    radarthekatradarthekat Posts: 3,842moderator
    One wonders how a plastic Samsung large screen phone would fare with the same amount of pressure at the point where it's button cutouts reside. Plastic is also quite malleable.
  • Reply 6 of 543
    I couldn't bend the ones in the Apple Store, although I'm not a body builder, I'm pretty strong. The first thing I checked was how strong it is 'cause it's so long. I'm still getting one, I don't rough up my electronics.
  • Reply 7 of 543
    I wonder where Apple's responsibility ends and common sense/obviousness begins.
  • Reply 8 of 543
    Will it bent?
  • Reply 9 of 543
    There you have it. Samsung is not the only one with curved displays anymore but what it's great about Apple is that they give us the option of how curved our iPhone displays can become...
    :) Take that Android:))
  • Reply 10 of 543
    Curved iPhone.
  • Reply 11 of 543
  • Reply 12 of 543

    Wonderful!

     

    No way am I getting a Plus! Why did Apple make it? 

     

    My next iPhone is now a 6 or a 5s.

     

    I'm with the sorry band of Marvin and T.S. who say that the 5.5" shouldn’t exist.

     

    To all the poor suckers who have ordered or bought a Plus: thank your lucky stars for warranties.

  • Reply 13 of 543
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SirLance99 View Post



    This should be interesting to watch Play out.

     

    Bendgate

     

    [opps... not reading... pipped by bdkennedy1]

  • Reply 14 of 543
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    AI now joining in the click bait. Great....
  • Reply 15 of 543
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Benjamin Frost View Post

     

    Wonderful!

     

    No way am I getting a Plus! Why did Apple make it? 

     

    My next iPhone is now a 6 or a 5s.

     

    I'm with the sorry band of Marvin and T.S. who say that the 5.5" shouldn’t exist.

     

    To all the poor suckers who have ordered or bought a Plus: thank your lucky stars for warranties.


     

    Making the 5.5 is so unApple... to me.

  • Reply 16 of 543
    MarvinMarvin Posts: 15,309moderator
    This has happened with the iPhone 5/5s too:

    http://www.cultofmac.com/248603/iphone-5ses-are-bending-in-peoples-pockets/

    The temperature in the pocket after long periods of time makes it easier to bend the metal, especially if the device has been running hot itself. This will be worse with the 6+ due to the size as there's more leverage at the weak points. Initial buyers are returning the 6+ for iPhone 6 models because they are finding them to be too big anyway:

    http://www.theverge.com/2014/9/22/6827863/apple-iphone-6-plus

    and stats here show the 6 outselling the 6+ between 5:1-10:1:

    https://mixpanel.com/trends/#report/iphone_6

    It probably won't be long before they just discontinue the phablet model.
  • Reply 17 of 543

    The 'armored' case makers are going to love this.

  • Reply 18 of 543
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by macinthe408 View Post



    I wonder where Apple's responsibility ends and common sense/obviousness begins.

     

    Common sense?

  • Reply 19 of 543
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    As a new iPhone 6 Plus owner...I have to admit this is pretty troubling.  I imagine keeping your phone in a case SHOULD help with this situation, but for the price of the phone this is pretty unacceptable.  Hopefully Apple addresses this concern, soon, as I intend to carry my phone in my front pocket (pretty obviously). 

    This may be cause for Apple to supply all plus owners with a free protective case to withstand the bend...

    If they don't answer to this at all, I would be really shocked.  Especially considering the overwhelming number of people experiencing the issue.  I've been lucky enough not to yet, but I'm definitely not taking any risks. 

    Overwhelming number of people? Where are all these people experiencing this issue?
  • Reply 20 of 543
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Benjamin Frost View Post

     

    To all the poor suckers who have ordered or bought a Plus: thank your lucky stars for warranties.


    Warranties cover physical misuse? Is the jerk in the video planning on getting a refund?

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