Unsurprisingly, a 2020 iPad Pro will bend if you try to break it

Posted:
in General Discussion edited March 2020
Stop us if you've heard this before -- a YouTuber has taken a brand-new 2020 iPad Pro and destroyed it with his bare hands. He wasn't stir-crazy from a coronavirus lockdown or performing some kind of commercial protest, he is just a vandal with a big bank account -- and a mission.

On the good side, it's very impressive how long the iPad Pro keeps working during all of this
On the good side, it's very impressive how long the iPad Pro keeps working during all of this


YouTuber "EverythingApplePro" has a mission to get attention and we're rather helping here, but somewhat less from wanting to spread the word about something good, something useful, or just something interesting. We can point you at this YouTube video and together still thwart the mission, though, because what this person wants is to turn that attention into sales.

"EverythingApplePro" sells cases for the 2020 iPad Pro, and, you see entirely where the motivation to bending a new one is coming from.

It's like the way life insurance sales people were allegedly trained to use the word "maim" as much as possible. Seemingly most of us fail to believe we will ever die, but all of us are brought up short by the idea that we could be seriously maimed in an accident.

In this case, the entire 10-minute YouTube video exists to say one thing. The new iPad Pro can bend, so you must, must, must buy this YouTuber's case to prevent it happening.

As it is, we watch a video with this guy pretending to be shocked that Apple hasn't changed the laws of physics. We watch this video where he gasps that aluminium is somehow no studier than it was in 2018 when other people chose to bend their iPad Pro too.

The EverythingApplePro guy puts his back into this job, really buckling the iPad Pro with all the force he can muster, and then says this is what could happen in day to day use. He is completely correct, so long as your day to day use requires you to deliberately torque the device, and smash a thousand dollars worth of iPad Pro in the process.






AppleInsider readers will of course know if you apply pressure to a thin piece of metal, it is going to bend. Only, someone who makes iPad Pro cases must know this too. You can't be in product design and manufacturing without knowing something about materials, you simply cannot.

So he must know, and yet he pretends not to in the verbal equivalent of a goofy face that YouTube viewers seem to demand to click on a video. He pretends to gasp at how easily thin metal bends and thin glass breaks if you bend it, he pretends that this is a poor choice by Apple rather than simply physics.

It's patronizing to treat us as being so stupid that we will believe these incredulous gasps, or that we could ever be shocked at how a device can be broken if only you try to break it.

And it is reprehensible to break an iPad Pro just to be patronizing. You can argue that Apple makes the iPad Pro by the millions, and you can argue that Apple designers or engineers were well paid for their work. But this is still someone's work, and destroying an iPad Pro is vandalism.

EverythingApplePro's decision to patronize his viewers is not exactly endearing. His decision to destroy a thousand bucks of precision engineering in order to sell a cheap case isn't going to turn us into customers either.

It is true that you can bend your iPad Pro. But if you just remember to treat your thin sheet of glass and metal as if it cost you $300 and up for the low end iPad, and well more than $1000 at the high end, you'll be fine.
watto_cobra
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 44
    neilmneilm Posts: 987member
    Anybody got a Rolex I can, ah, borrow to test with this hammer?
    FLMusicjbdragonStrangeDaysjahbladeBeatsigorskypscooter63FileMakerFellerwatto_cobra
  • Reply 2 of 44
    Mike WuertheleMike Wuerthele Posts: 6,861administrator
    neilm said:
    Anybody got a Rolex I can, ah, borrow to test with this hammer?
    Make sure you've got an array of cameras to point at it to post on YouTube, or a Rolex case to sell.
    FLMusicBeatsigorskyFileMakerFellerwatto_cobra
  • Reply 3 of 44
    Anybody got a brand new Rolex I can, ah, borrow to put in my backpack without bending?
    Beatswatto_cobra
  • Reply 4 of 44
    elijahgelijahg Posts: 2,759member
    Unfortunately publicising this idiot just gets him more clicks and more ad revenue.
    FLMusiclkruppBeatszoetmbwatto_cobra
  • Reply 5 of 44
    petripetri Posts: 118member
    I’m not sure if this site was always AppleApologist and I just didn’t notice so much to start with, or what.  I don’t even need to see the video (and I haven’t) to know that iPad Pros are weaker than they used to be, and weaker than they should be, to function as the go-anywhere, Chuck-in-a-backpack tablet they were originally intended as.  It’s not just a question of materials either, the current design is just fundamentally less strong and far more prone to flex.  

    Apple should be called out on that.  They should be called out on a bad design which functions less well than it’s predecessors and will be an expensive disappointment for some of its customers.  And when they launch another new iPad generation with the same design flaw and the same weakness, they deserve to be called out on it again, and for more YouTubers to make these same videos pointing it out.  

    Apple should do better.  So should AppleInsider.

    makaveli-313lkruppchemengin1larryaAllProductsNoShipThe_Angry_Lagdroid
  • Reply 6 of 44
    If I have a Monet painting...if I rip it was it flawed?   
    Brats with bucks should not be given credence.
    A team of many people worked hard to create something wonderful. 
    You just have to care about what you own.

    cornchipBeatsigorskypscooter63jony0watto_cobra
  • Reply 7 of 44
    elijahgelijahg Posts: 2,759member
    petri said:
    I’m not sure if this site was always AppleApologist and I just didn’t notice so much to start with, or what.  I don’t even need to see the video (and I haven’t) to know that iPad Pros are weaker than they used to be, and weaker than they should be, to function as the go-anywhere, Chuck-in-a-backpack tablet they were originally intended as.  It’s not just a question of materials either, the current design is just fundamentally less strong and far more prone to flex.  

    Apple should be called out on that.  They should be called out on a bad design which functions less well than it’s predecessors and will be an expensive disappointment for some of its customers.  And when they launch another new iPad generation with the same design flaw and the same weakness, they deserve to be called out on it again, and for more YouTubers to make these same videos pointing it out.  

    Apple should do better.  So should AppleInsider.

    Yeah disappointing if you intended to use it as a manhole cover. It's plenty tough enough for everyday use. There are plenty of other areas where Apple's designs are lacking, this isn't one of them.
    Rayz2016jahbladeBeatsigorskyjony0watto_cobra
  • Reply 8 of 44
    Wesley HilliardWesley Hilliard Posts: 184member, administrator, moderator, editor
    petri said:
    I’m not sure if this site was always AppleApologist and I just didn’t notice so much to start with, or what.  I don’t even need to see the video (and I haven’t) to know that iPad Pros are weaker than they used to be, and weaker than they should be, to function as the go-anywhere, Chuck-in-a-backpack tablet they were originally intended as.  It’s not just a question of materials either, the current design is just fundamentally less strong and far more prone to flex.  

    Apple should be called out on that.  They should be called out on a bad design which functions less well than it’s predecessors and will be an expensive disappointment for some of its customers.  And when they launch another new iPad generation with the same design flaw and the same weakness, they deserve to be called out on it again, and for more YouTubers to make these same videos pointing it out.  

    Apple should do better.  So should AppleInsider.

    Speaking from experience, I have had the 2018 iPad Pro since its release, and have used it in a variety of situations without ever noticing the slightest change in uniformity. I use a Brydge keyboard case, which offers no reinforcement whatsoever, and carry it in a multitude of overladen bags. While there is some truth to this iPad not being as structurally sound as previous generations, it is not compromised to the point of being unusable.

    The design is thinner and lighter than ever, so of course bending an ipad with all your strength will yeild devastating results. Normal use does not cause this type of force. Not to mention Apple just released a new iPad with the same design, despite the couple of dozen YouTubers bending their $1K devices for profit. 

    If there were true integrity problems, Apple would have included a steel reinforcement just as they did with the iPhone. It just does not seem to be the case here. We will be watching the latest iPads though, just in case they decide to bend on their own. :wink: 
    jbdragonStrangeDaysjahbladeBeatsFileMakerFellerfastasleepwatto_cobra
  • Reply 9 of 44
    jacgjacg Posts: 2member
    I owned two iPads before my 2018 iPad Pro. Neither of them bent or broke. But this one has a bend and a hairline cracked screen. I don’t know how. I’m pretty careful but it’s possible that I may have been lulled into a false sense of security by previous devices.

    Or it might be a flaw caused by a bent device. Unfortunately, unlike other owners of devices with hairline cracks, Apple would not replace mine due to the breakage happening after the device had received other superficial damage like marks to the soft aluminium edge.

    I have learnt to live with the hairline crack but I can only hope that the revision coming in a few months addresses some of the obvious flaws in this design.

    Appleinsider, I have been a long time subscriber, but I too am disappointed with your lack of integrity here.
    AllProductsNoShipseancookie101
  • Reply 10 of 44
    AI, thank you for an actually reasonable headline. 

    Uncommon common sense.
    FLMusicStrangeDaysBeatswatto_cobrachasm
  • Reply 11 of 44
    Mike WuertheleMike Wuerthele Posts: 6,861administrator
    jacg said:
    I owned two iPads before my 2018 iPad Pro. Neither of them bent or broke. But this one has a bend and a hairline cracked screen. I don’t know how. I’m pretty careful but it’s possible that I may have been lulled into a false sense of security by previous devices.

    Or it might be a flaw caused by a bent device. Unfortunately, unlike other owners of devices with hairline cracks, Apple would not replace mine due to the breakage happening after the device had received other superficial damage like marks to the soft aluminium edge.

    I have learnt to live with the hairline crack but I can only hope that the revision coming in a few months addresses some of the obvious flaws in this design.
    We've addressed bent out of the box before. https://appleinsider.com/articles/18/12/20/no-apple-a-slightly-bent-ipad-pro-straight-out-of-the-box-isnt-acceptable

    I'm sorry you had a problem, nobody likes busted gear. But, this video is not proof of any design problem, and service data doesn't support any problem with it in that regard. Folks seeking service for the 2018 iPad Pro, including the bent out of the box from the earliest days, are less than the previous generation iPad Pro which sold in about the same volumes.
    edited March 2020 watto_cobra
  • Reply 12 of 44
    jacgjacg Posts: 2member
    Mine was so subtly bent I would not have noticed. I barely notice now.

    I don’t know if it was bent from the start, bent in a bag or cracked in the sun (I was on an Island in Thailand at the time).

    All I’m saying is I liked how robust my previous iPads seemed. It was something that went well with the new device category. We deploy iPads at my school. Would we deploy iPad Pros?!?!
    edited March 2020
  • Reply 13 of 44
    YP101YP101 Posts: 160member
    Order to not bendable, it needs to be thick as macbook pro 16'..
    And then complain for too thick? or with that thickness getting same battery capacity as macbook pro 16'.
    Beats
  • Reply 14 of 44
    WgkruegerWgkrueger Posts: 352member
    Maybe someone should apply the same bend “test” to this persons case.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 15 of 44
    KuyangkohKuyangkoh Posts: 838member
    neilm said:
    Anybody got a Rolex I can, ah, borrow to test with this hammer?
    Make sure you've got an array of cameras to point at it to post on YouTube, or a Rolex case to sell.
    Exactly....why would anybody do that? Any metal that you bend will bent, and then what? complain???geh
    FLMusicStrangeDayswatto_cobra
  • Reply 16 of 44
    petri said:
    I’m not sure if this site was always AppleApologist and I just didn’t notice so much to start with, or what.  I don’t even need to see the video (and I haven’t) to know that iPad Pros are weaker than they used to be, and weaker than they should be, to function as the go-anywhere, Chuck-in-a-backpack tablet they were originally intended as.  It’s not just a question of materials either, the current design is just fundamentally less strong and far more prone to flex.  

    Apple should be called out on that.  They should be called out on a bad design which functions less well than it’s predecessors and will be an expensive disappointment for some of its customers.  And when they launch another new iPad generation with the same design flaw and the same weakness, they deserve to be called out on it again, and for more YouTubers to make these same videos pointing it out.  

    Apple should do better.  So should AppleInsider.

    My 2018 12.9 iPad Pro has spent many many days in my backpack and does not show any signs of bending. Mind you, I’m not stupid enough to lean back on my pack like it’s a recliner. Millions of people put their plus sized phones in their pockets, but some brains are required to realize putting it in your back pocket and then sitting on it isn’t a good idea. It’s hilarious how some people feel that a thin glass slab should be able to withstand the same abuse a skateboard or 1 inch thick laptop can. Then they would also complain when the lightweight and sleek tablet Is built stronger, now weighing too much to comfortably hold and transport conveniently. 
    Come on people, take care of your stuff like you would with anything costing this much. 
    jmgregory1StrangeDayswatto_cobra
  • Reply 17 of 44
    Mike WuertheleMike Wuerthele Posts: 6,861administrator
    Quick note - this is an opinion piece, and is very clearly labeled as such.



    As such, it will have opinions that you may or may not agree with. You are welcome to discuss the matter, and how you feel about the issue. Attacks on any others because of opinions that anybody else may hold will be deleted. Persistence of behavior after deletion will result in a ban.

    On the bottom of every forum page, there are commenting guidelines. If you have any questions or concerns, read them first.
    edited March 2020 Beatsfastasleepwatto_cobra
  • Reply 18 of 44
    I am a subscriber to everythingapplepro on YouTube, but just like with Zach’s jerryrig channel, I won’t watch any of the “watch me destroy this xyz product” videos.  I think it was funny, back in the day, when people were tossing phones into a blender, but I think these types of videos have had their day in the sun and now they’re just mindless wastes of time to watch.  Gee, what do you think will happen when you forcibly bend a glass and thin aluminum device in half?

    If any of them really wanted to show something useful, why not set up a series of situational tests, like sitting on a phone in your back pocket, placing an iPad in an overfilled backpack and stuffing it under a chair (like what those of us who travel for work do) - things that would show what may or may not happen to devices in real world-similar situations.
    StrangeDayswatto_cobra
  • Reply 19 of 44
    StrangeDaysStrangeDays Posts: 12,871member
    petri said:
    I’m not sure if this site was always AppleApologist and I just didn’t notice so much to start with, or what.  I don’t even need to see the video (and I haven’t) to know that iPad Pros are weaker than they used to be, and weaker than they should be, to function as the go-anywhere, Chuck-in-a-backpack tablet they were originally intended as.  It’s not just a question of materials either, the current design is just fundamentally less strong and far more prone to flex.  

    Apple should be called out on that.  They should be called out on a bad design which functions less well than it’s predecessors and will be an expensive disappointment for some of its customers.  And when they launch another new iPad generation with the same design flaw and the same weakness, they deserve to be called out on it again, and for more YouTubers to make these same videos pointing it out.  

    Apple should do better.  So should AppleInsider.

    Ladies and gentlemen, we present to you — yet another person who believes Apple is in charge of physics, and is trying to rip you off by not re-writing the laws of physics. 

    🤦🏼‍♂️
    Rayz2016Beatspscooter63laytechfastasleepFLMusicwatto_cobra
  • Reply 20 of 44
    crowleycrowley Posts: 10,453member
    Attention seeker wants attention, so we'll give him attention while complaining about him wanting attention  :s
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