Bendgate backlash: Apple claims warped iPhone 6 Plus damage is 'extremely rare'

Apple has dismissed claims that its iPhone 6 Plus handsets have a design flaw that makes them susceptible to being warped. The company, which has been ridiculed by its competitors over the so-called "bendgate" controversy, told the BBC that such damage was "extremely rare" when the iPhone 6 Plus is used in a normal manner. In …

[Anonymous Coward]

OK, it's very rare

We get that. The point is that it seems to be somewhat more bendable than the competition, and that this may be because of the choice of material and the physical shape. Apple could have compromised just a little on their design ethos and made it stronger, and it is very unlikely they would have lost a single customer because of it.

That's basically the story.

[Bob Vistakin]

Re: OK, it's very rare

And guess what else is being blamed for this bending? The Apple logo itself. You just couldn't make this up.

[SuccessCase]

Re: OK, it's very rare

"You just couldn't make this up."

You just did;

http://www.theverge.com/2014/9/25/6845611/inside-apples-iphone-6-torture-building

[Anonymous Coward]

what do you expect when someone with a fat ar*e sits on a thin phone.

Oops I forgot you can't say thing like that anymore

[J. R. Hartley]

Re: OK, it's very rare

You're carrying it wrong™

[Preston Munchensonton]

Re: OK, it's very rare

"You're carrying it wrong™"

Fearless Leader likely would not have even paused before he blamed the Apple faithful for stowing it incorrectly in their back pockets. Of course, Steve would never have allow these idiots to fuck up his precious idea so badly.

[ThomH]

Re: OK, it's very rare

Per Consumer Reports — see e.g. http://www.examiner.com/article/consumer-reports-says-iphone-6-and-iphone-6-plus-are-not-very-bendable — the iPhone 6 is in fact no more bendable than the competition.

From worst to best:

HTC One (70 pounds to deform, 90 pounds to separate);

iPhone 6 (70 pounds to deform, 100 to separate);

iPhone 6+ (90 pounds to deform, 110 to separate),

LG G3 (130 pounds both to deform and to separate);

iPhone 5s (130 to deform, 150 to separate);

Galaxy Note 3 (150 pounds both to deform and to separate).

So Apple has remained strictly within industry bounds, never producing either the most robust or the most deformable phone. Maybe the issue is more that it's jumped from being equal with the high end of the table on one measure to being equal with the low end on another?

[captain veg]

Re: OK, it's very rare

> X pounds to deform, Y pounds to separate

Yes, but the aluminium frame means that the Adonis-phone takes a set in the stressed form.

Z pounds to snap it while trying to straighten it out again?

-A.

[ThomH]

Re: OK, it's very rare (@captain veg)

The HTC One is also made of aluminium, so that's not a "yes, but" between Apple and HTC.

So, honestly, the story is probably threefold:

* Apple not learning from its competitors;

* Apple sacrificing rigidity for thinness (as in, objectively, per Consumer Reports, the 6 and 6+ are much less rigid than the 5s);

* Apple acting in such a way that people apply different standards to it.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: OK, it's very rare (@captain veg)

If you google "bent m8" you can see there was some discussion about this in Android forums earlier this year. I didn't hear anything in the press about it, but all the attention Apple gets around product launches (which a lot of fandroids hate) is a double edged sword, they also get much more attention around issues like this even if they affect only a small number of people.

[petur]

Re: OK, it's very rare

"the iPhone 6 is in fact no more bendable than the competition."

They mean, of course, the iPhone 6 is no more bendable than the HTC One.

Put the figures in a graph to open your eyes...

And comparing the phablets: 90 versus 150 pounds to deform. No more? Going towards double, they mean...

[ThomH]

Re: OK, it's very rare (@petur)

Surely the issue is the range? Even amongst well-regard handsets, Apple is not an outlier.

I still think this is much more a case of the hype not matching the reality (i.e. it's just another handset, with each individual attribute being located within the spectrum of its competitors) and people enjoying any opportunity to take Apple down a peg or two for being so arrogant, than it is of some sort of recall-worthy defect.

[captain veg]

Adonised

"adonised aluminium-wrapped phones "

So no longer the Jesus phone, but something more Greek god-like?

-A.

[frank ly]

Re: Adonised

Well, since Adonis is the god of beauty and desire and is an annually renewed god, that would be appropriate. They should have vulcanised it.

[Naughtyhorse]

'over several years'

Oh! I thought this was an iPhone we were talking about - you know obsolete in 12 months.

[Lord Elpuss]

Re: 'over several years'

My iPhone 4 was running the very latest operating system right up until last week; I pre-ordered it in June 2010. That's more than 4 years of fully updated, fully patched use. I sold it this week for £125.

I've just spent 20 minutes googling for an Android handset with similar longevity, support and resale value. Nope, there's nothing.

[Anonymous Coward]

"Rarity" is not the point

It doesn't matter how many units fail in the first 3 days.

What matters is that these devices are a serious financial investment, and a huge percentage will bend or fail due to this design flaw over the course of 1-2 years of regular use.

All of the youtube bend videos clearly show one thing - other phones have some degree of flexibility but retain their original shape. The iPhone 6 Plus bends and warps and retains the new warped shape.

I can't see any other outcome here than a massive recall.

[G R Goslin]

Re: "Rarity" is not the point

I don't think it's the kind of problem they can solve with a recall. The problem is with the basic design and choice of materials. Only a start again from scratch will solve this one. Unless of course, they issue everyone with the sort of vinyl covered steel snap case that they used to hold reading glasses.

[Roger B]

Re: "Rarity" is not the point

There won't be a recall, Apple need to have at least one feature on the 6S Plus (for next year? and that will be the changein the case design.

Perhaps moving the power button to the opposite side of the new, thinner longer volume buttons was more a case of over designed and under engineered?

[SuccessCase]

Re: "Rarity" is not the point

"I can't see any other outcome here than a massive recall."

There you go again Andy shooting your mouth off without checking the facts. Seriously, do you ever, ever check your facts?

The video I've seen using calibrated equipment results sees over 70 lbs of pressure having to be applied to the the middle of the phone when the two ends are propped up before the handset bends. 100lbs before it develops a perma-bend. Yes 100lbs. That's a half of me dangling from the middle. So imagine propping both ends of your phone up a few millimetres in from the very end and getting an 8 year old to dangle all his weight through a point in the middle. Even after that the phone works fine and any bend that remains permanent is hard to see.

The consumer reports test which shows both iPhones fare better than the HTC One is here and shows in excess of 70lbs has to be applied before the iPhone 6 or 6 plus even starts to bend at all:

http://www.theverge.com/2014/9/26/6852593/consumer-reports-finds-iphone-5-holds-up-better-than-6-6-plus

Their conclusion "We expect any of these phones should stand up to typical use"

And you think that is somehow substandard and deserves a recall... You think the process where Apple tested to destruction over 30,000 iPhone 6 handsets in their test facility filmed here:

http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/16/inside-apples-black-lab-wireless-testing-facilities/

...resulted in them designing a phone that was not durable!

All this episode proves is that a subset of commentards and a subset of the Twitteratti have itchy trigger fingers and are all to ready to hit the "post comment" button before getting any dimension to the facts. In the old days there was a name for people with a tendency to talk regardless of knowledge of the facts. Gossips. Today gossip moves at the speed of light and as so often for Apple, becomes a kind of Mexican wave of bullshit with all the networked haters piling in.

Still, it could be worse, they could be subject to no Mexican bullshit wave at all because no one gives a shit.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: "Rarity" is not the point

Since you don't seem to know the difference between force, pressure and bending moment, and (unless you're dismissing the videos showing a 6+ being bent by hand) seem to think that 100lbs "pressure" can be applied with the human thumb, I think I'll just assume you're astroturfing as usual and ignore your "facts".

[SuccessCase]

Re: "Rarity" is not the point

I see, Credas a mistake in my O'level physics terminology which has nothing whatsoever to do with the proof given in the source I cited gives you your excuse to ignore the controlled lab tests conducted by the source I cited. You think that's good reasoning? Or maybe it's simply because one of the Internet gossips wants to apply a kind of faux intellectualism so he can continue gossiping.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: "Rarity" is not the point

I am reminded of the "14 stone sergeant test" - any protrusion on the inside of a tank will eventually be used as a toehold by a 14 stone man wishing to get out in a hurry.

100lb is quite impressive, though. I am actually surprised. But what really matters is not the weight of the owner, but the force that can be exerted e.g. on a pocket while the leg is being bent. Most adults can exert a lot more force than their own weight.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: "Rarity" is not the point

@SuccessCase - I assume you will get a nice check in the mail from Cupertino for reprinting their press release?

Interesting that I never spoke about foot-pounds of energy nor denied that the event is rare. I stated that permanent warping and deformity is the issue, and that you will see more of it as time goes on.

Nothing you have copied and pasted from Apple's press release is in any way responsive to that issue.

And regarding Credas' post, I assume his problem with you is that you have no idea what the f*ck you are talking about regarding 100 lbs of force. Just a wild guess.

[SuccessCase]

Re: "Rarity" is not the point

"Nothing you have copied and pasted from Apple's press release is in any way responsive to that issue."

What an independent test lab, outside of Apple, running tests commissioned by Consumer Reports, which prove the iPhone 6 and 6 plus are perfectly durable and in fact more durable than some of the competitor handsets that have been out on the market for a number of months, is not germane to this topic?

... next without a hint of irony you'll probably start talking about a reality distortion field.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: "Rarity" is not the point

"What an independent test lab, outside of Apple, running tests commissioned by Consumer Reports, which prove the iPhone 6 and 6 plus are perfectly durable "

It proves nothing of the sort. It simply proves that the phone deformed minimally in a short duration laboratory test. Unfortunately, because of the low elasticity of the aluminium alloy used, strain in the real world is cumulative, and the handful of buttock-imprinted Shineys should be a real cause for concern. That shape is the shape the device wants to be under pressure, and with a material that won't bounce back (1) that is the shape it will progressively become.

(1) I was going to use the term "plastic deformation", but since the fanbois won't be able to differentiate between plastic frames and plastic deformation, I think it best not to go there.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: "Rarity" is not the point

@Ledswinger - agreed, I was thinking about bringing up plasticity, but I don't think the discussion participants are intellectually capable of going there.

[SuccessCase]

Re: "Rarity" is not the point

Ah, so that's why there's all those HTC1's with plastic deformation.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: "Rarity" is not the point

This argument is odd. One side is arguing using a heavily corporate lobbied entity (Consumer Union), while the other is arguing using consumers. Maybe one side should research Consumer Union, because NPO's just don't magically fund themselves. I can't say I can prove Consumer Union is a heavily used corporate entity just like the USPTO, but can you disprove it? Or do we need another Snowden to come along and help us instead of using our brains?

Is Apple a company, and do companies make mistakes that *should* require recalls? When in doubt, flip a coin or.... ask GM.

[Green Nigel 42]

Re: "Rarity" is not the point

I guess you would have to omit work hardening & fatigue life as well.

The question has to be asked if stress relieving was performed to remove the work hardening generated by the original machining of the case.

The larger face area & minimal sectional height makes the stress cases to be considered, design, dimensional tolerances & keeping within the material spec all the more critical.

I do wonder if any one or combination of any these factors are exceeded, would cause the these failures. This could therefore be a case of a break down of Apples quality control, afterall quality is expensive!

[Looper]

Re: "Rarity" is not the point

Successcase exaggerating yet again. It was NOT 100lbs of pressure to deform the 6 plus, it was 90lbs. More to the point, the nearest equivalents in size phones, the LG G3 & Note 3, took 130lbs & 150lbs respectively to deform. The Note 3 requiring a full 60lbs to damage its far more solid structure, albeit in an imperfect test.

If the pressure test mirrored the real world examples of 6 plus bending, especially the weak pressure point near the buttons of the 6 plus which is not at the central pressure point of the test, you can be certain that even the 90lbs it achieved in the test would drop. The problem with this particular three point test is that it does not try to discover or test weak points in each phone's casing.

A more relevant comparison would be the equivalent number of pencils in your pocket equal to the deforming force. For the 6 plus I'd guess that would be about 3 or 4 pencils in your pocket.

So when you forget the 6 plus is in your pocket and sit down, you may be lucky unless the majority force is acting at the weak point around the buttons.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: "Rarity" is not the point

Any modern test still using feet, pounds (lb) or similar obsolete units is not to be taken seriously, not for the last 40 or 50 years in Britain and a lot longer than that in most of the rest of the world.

As a site whose readers claim to be "technical", how can I trust any of the commenters who are so far out of date?

[Alan Denman]

Apple announcement Fun

Yes, they are a source of entertainment.

We should have Chubby singing the Apple announcement theme tune "Come on, let's twist again like we did last summer"

[Tom 35]

so-called "bendgate" controversy,

I think that's the first time I've seen that name used. Anything-gate is over used anyway.

The only thing I've seen other then just a description like bent iPhone is Banana phone.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: so-called "bendgate" controversy,

The reverse version is "Bendghazi" - i.e. people working themselves into a stew and inventing conspiracy theories over a not very significant event.

[Martin-73]

Apple are bloody delusional:

"As with any Apple product, if you have questions please contact Apple." What kind of shite... you contact the RETAILER, which MAY be apple, it may not. I'd NEVER buy an apple product direct from apple, they're weird in their handling of faults. I'd go through a normal retailer and thus have protection

[Trigonoceps occipitalis]

Re: Apple are bloody delusional:

Indeed, in the UK (EU?) you have no rights against the manufacturer or middlemen, solely against the retailer.

[Tom 38]

Re: Apple are bloody delusional:

It's fairly common these days for manufacturers to do their own RMA and defect handling post sale. If you order from several UK distributors, they even include a list of manufacturers to whom you should direct support queries at (and not them; if you contact the retailer, they will tell you to contact the manufacturer directly).

Here's a list for overpriced tat merchant overclockers UK:

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/supportdetails.php#opt5

This is a case of the rights you have against the retailer being provided by the manufacturer by agreement with the retailer.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Apple are bloody delusional:

If you buy from Apple you have 14 days (or maybe it is 28) to return the product for a full refund for any reason. So anyone who had a phone bend in the first few days, or first couple weeks, can exercise that option and tell them that's why they're returning it.

I'd rather buy from them because returns would be much less of a hassle then dealing with retailers who often have restocking fees for electronic items (at least they do in the US)

[JohnMurray]

You pay 600 quid for a phone, and use it as a cushion?

[TheOtherHobbes]

I don't keep cushions in my pocket, or carry them around with me to make calls on them.

[PleebSmash]

#rare

#BENTIPHONE420 #BASEDGOD #RARE

[raving angry loony]

Spin, spin, spin

HA! I knew it! They've responded in their typical Apple fashion: it's not the phone, it's how you sit. Just like they did with the reception issue: it's not the phone, it's how you hold it.

Apple isn't so much at excellent design as they are about decent but sometimes flawed design with absolutely cracking good marketing and spin doctors.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Spin, spin, spin

"Apple isn't so much at excellent design as they are about decent but sometimes flawed design with absolutely cracking good marketing and spin doctors."

Well if the fanbois will be honest with themselves, it is their admiration of the marketing and PR that they're buying into. And if they'll do that, everybody can be happy - fanbois can buy the new shiney and won't mind that it needs to be rested on a silken cushion at all times, Apple sell more stuff at vast margin to the same bunch of mugs-with-money, and everybody else can snigger.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Spin, spin, spin

The "spin" here is the from the raving loony Apple haters who happily seize on any flaw, even one that affects a tiny minority, and claim there should be recalls, Apple is terrible, etc.

Google "bent m8" and read the forums, and tell me why HTC didn't recall the M8 if reports of bent phones are enough to convince you that it is necessary and the vendor is in the wrong if they don't.

[Lord Elpuss]

Re: Spin, spin, spin

@DougS Exactly. Apple design a phone that can survive being bent even when ridiculous force is applied, is smack in the middle of the pack re bendiness when compared to the competition, and perhaps even more impressively the phone still continues to work flawlessly even when subjected to such abuse, and still the haters find a reason to get their panties in a twist.

Sometimes I despair.

[Lars]

With due respect

I have drowned four phones, one gave up the ghost, one is waiting to be rescued at the bottom of the sea. and two survived. My fault, although I think they could and should be more water resistant.

I have destroyed a number of headphones. How I hate the sound of that. I have sat down on each and every phone too, at numerous times but without breaking any. Why would I buy a phone that will bend when I know that regardless of how much respect I poses I will fail sooner or later.

From "you are holding it wrong" (perhaps we should forget about that by now), to "show some respect", what next, "your voice is too loud" perhaps.

[i like crisps]

AHEAD OF THE CURVE

Maybe they're priming us for iPhone 7? From what i've seen recently screens that can be rolled up or bent into all kinds of shapes are just around the corner.

[psychonaut]

ahead of the curve

they might well be just around the corner. well, the other half of it might be

[jimstead]

"Backlash"

Best not to sit on expensive electronics. Maybe people have taken the electronic "wallet" concept a bit too literally?

There is no big deal, they will not be recalled, and it will continue to outsell any other smartphone. My prediction.

[Mike Bell]

Re: "Backlash"

Jim, your down-voter is clearly in his own reality distortion field if he doesn't believe what you're saying. Life. Death. Taxes. Apple making pots of money. These are givens in today's world.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: "Backlash"

Life. Death. Taxes. RIM making pots of money. Apple getting bailed out of bankruptcy by Bill Gates.

These were givens in yesterday's world.

[Breen Whitman]

Even I can see this is a beat up by anti Apple types. Actual Apple users have insufficient strength in their delicate little hands and wrists.

As for bending in hip pockets - their slender super model like legs couldn't exert sufficient force to bend cardboard. Female apple owners even less chance.

[zemerick]

That consumer reports test wasn't very scientific at all. It was rather disappointing in fact.

They did not test any variables besides force, and made no effort to replicate the real world.

For example, with a 3 point test, pushing on the middle gives it the least amount of leverage. In the real world, forces are often not placed precisely in the middle, causing a force multiplication from the leverage.

This also nicely avoided the known weak spot. You can even see it in their video/screenshots. Despite trying to bend it in the middle, you still see a bend and break at the lower volume button. How much less force would it require if each of the phones were bent on their weak points?

Also, what happens if the direction of the force is reversed? Perhaps they are weaker when the force is the other direction. I am certain we would see a more disastrous result here too, as it would compress the screen, certainly shattering it quite early.

Finally, what happens when the minimal force to bend the phone is repeated? That seems to be one of the key issues with the iphones: They are retaining their bent shape. A little force repeated over time could cause the permanent deformation to get worse over time.

I would really like to see a test where they have 2 static points on the left ( one on top, one on bottom over each phones weak point. ) then have the far right point being the press. This would better mimic a real world situation of being in the front pocket and someone sitting down. ( The top of the pocket, and a crease would hold onto the phone, then the leg bends up applying the force. ) As mentioned, it should be tried in both directions. ( This is definitely an important variable. I'm a screen in guy, but I've known screen out people. One could potentially have a very different result that the other. ) Record the minimum to get a permanent bend. Then repeat that same force to see if the bend worsens over time.

Perhaps some more people can help send in ideas for improving the testing, and actually see some real results from CR. You can email them from here:

http://web.consumerreports.org/customerservice/customer-service.html

[Anonymous Coward]

"For example, with a 3 point test, pushing on the middle gives it the least amount of leverage. "

Yyyeeessss, that's why e.g. a shelf supported from the sides can hold the maximum load when you put everything right in the middle and collapses once you move stuff towards the edges...

[Green Nigel 42]

Pointless point loading

All load paths are kept as short as possible in an efficient design.

I do question if such a three point test is representational of a real load case.

Should it not be a point load (hard chair or something),reacted by an uniformably distributed load (bottom fat) ?

[Green Nigel 42]

To be sure

Apple should submit all their phones to lzod impact testing if they are so sure of their figures? Or better still for research & best validation purposes of coursewhile its in a fanboy/girls pocket (front & rear) !

[imaginarynumber]

"The official line from Apple was parroted online from a Genius drone employed by the company, when quizzed by The Register on Friday."

Meh.. you should have just contacted the Guardian, Charles Arthur was busy repeating their PR bumpf verbatim

http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/sep/25/apple-response-bend-iphone6-6p-plus-nine-complaints

[Anonymous Coward]

Charles Arthur

Doesn't he work for Apple?

[Anonymous Coward]

Its the customers fault for putting it in their back pockets!

[John Tserkezis]

"through our first six days of sale, a total of nine customers have contacted Apple with a bent iPhone 6 Plus"

They forget the Note 3 has had zero complaints about bending.

In fact, looking for Note 3's that bend, all I can find are bend tests between the Note 3 and the iPhone 6 Plus.

[Anonymous Coward]

Yes, looking for Note 3s is frustrating, so hard to find any.

[Lord Elpuss]

That's because they've all been sent back to Samsung.

http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/galaxy-note-3-problems/

[majorursa]

Apple is a startup

As someone else stated, Apple does not have a lot of experience in the smartphone business. They built only some 6 different models, that weren't even that different and all about the same size. Other companies publish different models by the month or week even, totalling multiple 10's or even 100's of models in recent years. And all these models are field tested; Apple does no field tests because they are so secretive about their precious new iPhad.

[tony]

Re: Apple is a startup

You can almost taste the pent up rage in that comment.

[Paul Hovnanian]

Apple will give it a positive spin

by naming it the Dali Edition

[TheFinn]

Back pocket?

...in all this 'back-pocket testing', did they ever have their subject sit down?

[Psycho Flump]

In other news water is wet

Since 1998 I've had 15 mobile phones (includes both Androids and iThings). One of them (a Sony flip phone) broke when it slid off a bed onto a carpet. All the others were replaced because I wanted new features. At worst they had no more wear and tear than some minor scratches (none of those were on the screens). None of them were ever kept in cases.

Maybe people just need to take better care of their possessions.

[Tom 38]

Re: In other news water is wet

Sorry, you've changed your phone 15 times in 16 years and you think everyone else doesn't take good care of their phones?

[Green Nigel 42]

Whats cooking? Why its Apple Pie!

Apple appear to have tried to distort the laws of physics again with their belief of the power of Art in making form trump function & Newtonian physics!

My feeling is that Apple in the pursuit of the slim light body beautiful have gone beyond the capabilities of the comercial & cost effective materials available to them, since sectional stiffness & (resistance to bending) is calculated by the 2nd moment of inertia,(I=bd Cubed/12). They have not appreciated that the cubed part becomes vitally imporant the thinner you go, as halfing the width does not half its stiffness, but reduces the stiffness by that cubed factor.

Cosiquently your stress calculations, load cases to be considered, the tolerance to dimensions & to material spec have to be so much more exacting.

It appears that this permanent distortion due to the Aluminium Alloy exceeding its elastic limit, (this has occoured with the phone in front pockets as well as back ones).So I believe this is a design flaw through sloppy engineering & you can't go on to blame the customers for using it in the same manor as they have treated all their phones.

I have yet hear this happening to Samsungs Note series, Nokia 1520 or HTC One's (Al Alloyed too).

[Stoli89]

CR test did not refute Unbox video

The problem with the CR test method was that it applied a uniform force across the entire width of the iPhone 6+ (the structural strength of the device was sufficient to handle reasonable load). The Youtube video revealed that a non-uniform force applied to the side of the device adjacent the button cutout would result in a structural failure. Further analysis by iFixit.com revealed the internal steel reinforcement plate is anchored (screwed) too close to the lower edge of the button cutout. This has created a stress-point. When force is applied in such a way that this point becomes the center of moment (fulcrum), the device's ALU case plastically deforms.

It's a design flaw that seems to be revealed in plausible use scenarios and therefore well below acceptable industry/consumer expectations. Let's see how Apple will respond as more relevant data is accumulated.

[Peter 48]

so rare yet...

so of the 9 people that have supposed to have suffered from a bent phone at least 2 are writers for tech websites? what are the odds of that?

[ElsmarMarc]

Apple haters abound at the Reg

Wow! Just wow! A lot of Apple haters here. "Apple does no field tests because they are so secretive about their precious new iPhad." Yeah - Which is why the hubbub a few years back when a couple that were being field tested were left in bars. I thought people here at Reg had more sense than I'm seeing in this thread. My bet is more iPhones will be bent on purpose than in actual use.