Now that the iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, and iOS 8 are in the hands of users, the real-world testing begins. And so do the complaints. Most glaring among those seems to be what the Interwebs is dubbing as #bendgate or #bentgate to describe the admittedly horrifying phenomenon of the iPhone 6 Plus ungracefully bowing down to the forces of physics.

Long story short, the iPhone 6 Plus is reported to bend and remain bent with varying levels of pressure applied, from the power of your buttocks when the phone is placed in the back pocket, to less forceful slight of hand in the somewhat cringe-worthy test below. That the iPhone 6 Plus bends is, to some extent, not exactly surprising, considering its aluminum build, its super thin profile, and its bigger surface area. But for those who believe that only rather violent and extremely forceful physics can make the smartphone yield, the video below demonstrates how even bare hands can cause mayhem and sadness for the iPhone 6 Plus and its owners

The bending is noted to happen right below the volume buttons, likely the weakest point in the whole aluminum body due to the holes that give way to the buttons. And for those who would claim that it would happen to any smartphone, the same test was applied to the Samsung Galaxy Note 3. Not exactly the latest, but larger than the iPhone 6 Plus. While Samsung’s phablet did bend while force was being applied, and was noted to even make creaking noises, it kept true to its form save for some almost unnoticeable warping.

On further analysis, the results aren’t exactly surprising if you consider the materials used, malleable aluminum versus plastic. This makes it seem that Samsung’s choice of plastic isn’t so bad after all. Perhaps brave souls should also test other smartphones that do have aluminum bodies, like the Galaxy Note 4 and its metal edges or the HTC One M8 and its similar unibody design. For now, however, this is one more thing, in addition to screen size, that Samsung users will most likely hold over their iPhone rivals.

SOURCE: Unbox Therapy
VIA: SlashGear, Android and Me

29 COMMENTS

  1. Has anyone noticed that BGR has yet to post about this issue with the 6 Plus? They are indeed on Apple’s payroll. Even Techcrunch posted about it reluctantly. Lol

    • Supposedly, it can happen to any metal phone, but it’s more likely a serious problem with the iphone 6 plus and less so with the 6. Note 4 and the Xperia Z3 are better choices in any case, so who cares.

  2. These guys keep saying it happens in back pockets. (which I’m sure it does) But many reports indicate it can happen in front pockets. Even in dress pants. Which are definitely not skinny jeans.

  3. Quick, someone release an “anti-bend” software upgrade for the iPhones before more people suffer!! Just as how much suffering the “waterproof” software upgrade saved!

  4. No kidding! You would be silly to think it could take being bent. I doubt the apple designers would disagree with this test. It was never designed to hold up against such abuse.

    • The quote by Jony Ive will probably go down in history as one of the most embarrassing things ever said by a company: “The iPhone 5C is beautifully and unapologetically plastic.” LOL

  5. I fix phones and tablets and almost every iPad warps when its dropped causing the new glass to lift or not sit right. I see the same with the iPhone frame.

    It always makes me want to scream when reviewers give such praise to the aluminum design and say how superior it is. Aluminum is one of the worst materials to use.

    This is the beginning of the end for Apple, and this time there is no Jobs to save it.

    • True. The hard reality is that Samsung has always made the highest quality phones, but reviewers over the years have been tricked by Apple’s marketing to think that metal phones mean better quality.

      You very rarely hear build quality defects on Samsung phones.

      But iPhones have suffered from cracked screens, cracked backs, bent phones, broken home buttons, defective antennas, etc, etc.

      It actually surprises me how low quality iPhones are.

  6. It’s hardly shocking that a composite material that is engineered specifically for the purpose of being formed into a phone body is a better choice than highly malleable aluminum. Apple has been successful in duping reviewers into believing an inferior material produces a better product. Finally, someone is noticing the truth.

  7. I’ll never spend my money on Apple garage. I’ve got my Samsung Galaxy S4, and my Samsung Galaxy 4.0 tablet which I love and suit me just fine.

    • Chinks making your phones is the reason why you can afford it. If cellphones or a lot of things were made in America you would be paying 2x, 3x, 5x what you pay now. Even with your welfare checks, you wouldn’t be able to afford nice things.

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