Apple says bent iPhones are 'rare'

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Source: BBC

25 September 2014 Last updated at 15:12 ET

Apple says bent iPhones are 'rare'By Leo Kelion
Technology desk editor

Apple has responded to claims that its new handsets are prone to bending by saying such damage would be "rare" during normal use.
....

In a statement the company noted that the handsets' shells had been constructed out of "anodised aluminium, which is tempered for extra strength" and also featured stainless steel and titanium parts to reinforce the areas of the phones likely to experience the most stress.
....

"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."


Read more: http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-29371113

---

Posted for comic relief. Imagine this headline: "Boeing says incidents of 777s falling from the sky are 'rare'."

It doesn't matter if it's rare if it's your phone that's bent.

Disclaimer: I own shares of Apple.

[tridim]

1. The RDF lives.

Unless and until they fix the structural design flaw, if one phone bends, they all will.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

2. RDF? Oh, I got it.

After looking it up. "Reality distortion field." Yes, I own several Macs. I am familiar with that now.

Thanks.

[brooklynite]

55. Right.....just like every phone screen has cracked because one has.

[DRoseDARs]

3. Seeing as iPhone 6 *just* came out yes, this statement is true.

It has literally been one week since iPhone 6 was released so yeah, it's going to be pretty rare right now. Not every Ford Pinto exploded in a hellish fireball the moment it was driven off the lot, either.

[still_one]

18. I have a Note 3, and I will guarantee it can be bent

[TheBlackAdder]

46. My middle daughter got hers when it just came out, places in her back pockets, and still not bent.

I'm sure you can bend anything, but a teen with a Note 3, puts them through the stress test.

I carry the T-Mobile Upgrade plan opn it, in the off chance she nukes her phone. She still hasn't.

It gets tossed, books dropped on it, sat on, etc...

[still_one]

54. I am sure it goes through a full workout by your child

[daleo]

57. Bad example, as the vast majority of them never did catch fire

[PoliticAverse]

4. Rarer than cracked G4 cubes?... n/t

[Spitfire of ATJ]

5. Seems to be a weakness from the hole they put in the case for their big round buttons...

[winstars]

6. Like when a bad plumber cuts most of a structural beam for a pipe, not good...

There are building codes saying how much you cut out of something structural, and its totally not more than half. See it all the time on TeeVee home improvement shows....

And I have many Apple products and love 'em but this might not be good. The buttons on my iPhone 5 look about the same but the phone is thicker so maybe since the 6 is thinner...

[christx30]

9. Yeah, I have an iPhone 5

That I love. I don't see the point or the draw of a thinner phone. It would reason that a thinner phone would be more prone to breakage. I put an otterbox case on mine a day after I got it to keep it safe. A car could run over it and it would have no problem.

[tridim]

7. Apple is saying to not worry about that obvious structural flaw.

They are setting themselves up for a massive class action lawsuit in the coming months.

I've been reading that Apple isn't going to give refunds for bent iPhones. ! If that's true, sell your AAPL stock now.

[targetpractice]

8. That photo is not an iPhone 6 or 6 Plus.

Those are iPhone 5 buttons.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

11. Still bending in the same way....

[Adrahil]

34. the problem is WAY overblown. I've had an iPhone 5s since they can out.

I've dropped it, sat on it (and I'm a BIG boy), smacked it against steel ship interiors, and once dropped a hammer on it. (on the back of it). It's still just fine. A couple scratches on the screen, but no bends, and no breaks.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

39. Still, you would think the volume control wouldn't require holes in the case.

[Adrahil]

40. Require? No. But physical buttons are ergonomically superior, IMO.

I think the benefits of the design way outweigh the risk of a bent phone.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

44. The design is actually rather standard.

[TheBlackAdder]

47. It looks like the steep reinforcing bar is missing from where the buttons are located. nt

[ahimsa]

10. You may be right..

but that looks like a picture of an older iPhone. I have a 4S that looks like that - did not think it was possible to bend my phone (haven't tried either)!

[Spitfire of ATJ]

12. Waiting for an Apple exec in khakis blame to blue jeans.

[Horse with no Name]

15. OOps...already happened

http://www.dailydot.com/technology/iphone-6-plus-bendgate/

>>>> It was only a matter of time before the monstrosity known as the iPhone 6 Plus started causing problems. Today, word is getting out that the 5.5-inch phone may be vulnerable to unplanned situational curvature.

In other words, the phones are bending, and they're not supposed to bend. They bend because people are putting them in their pockets, then sitting down, which is a reasonable thing to do. Call it Apple's #Bendghazi, if you will. Or #Bendgate.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

16. "unplanned situational curvature" sounds like the customers are bending over to take it.

[Horse with no Name]

17. LOL...I know, right? n/t

[tomm2thumbs]

13. T & A - testing and adjusting

a great link to tests done on Nokia phones....

http://techcrunch.com/2008/12/01/an-in-depth-look-at-nokias-hardware-damage-labs/

Me wonders if Apple didn't do ANY testing on the iPhone 6 given the bending problems. I have worked at a company where we put even the most mundane material that was going into a product in the 'bend-ometer' just to see how it did, and overnight we would find out immediately if an item would bend over its lifetime. I wonder if Apple even considers this or just throws caution to the wind and hope no one notices.

[Scairp]

14. Wow

I was sure they would say a few were defective and that's it, but I guess they went with the truth.

[still_one]

19. It really comes down to this. If people believe that the iPhone 6/6+ are not structurally sound,

and that is a show stopper for them, then either don't buy the phone, or return the phone, and get a different phone.

Obviously, for people who put phones in their front pants pocket shouldn't buy this phone, though I cannot understand why someone would put a 5.5 inch phone in their front pocket.

That this is even an issue is because it is Apple. I cannot think of a smart phone that cannot be bent, however, like I said, the solution is simple, they don't feel it is a solid phone then return it, or don't buy it in the first place.

[TheBlackAdder]

31. My kid's larger Note 3's go in their back pockets all the time, without and damage.

Apple built a sub-par phone, one that does not hold up to the standard usage needs that the others deliver on.

[still_one]

32. then don't buy it. I will tell you one thing the battery life socks on the note 3, and

I have both the note 3 and 6+, and while both phones have + and -, the 6+ is a better quality phone in my view. You obviously disagree, but the note 4 obviously disagrees with you which is why they are going to metal. The HTC my is also a good quality phone

One more point, in direct sunlight I can see the display fine on my 6+, no way is that the case with my note 3

As far as putting a phone in one's back pocket, gosh I guess sitting on a 700 dollar phone is a good thing

[TheBlackAdder]

45. I won't. My eldest was looking at the 6+, but not now. It will likely be the Note 4, more advanced.

.

I seriously doubt the Samsung will fold like a pack of matches.
Samsung took the 10 minutes to test that they won't bend.

My kids have had HTC, they always seemed to fail before the 2-year period.

I was pushing my daughter to the 6+ to work in concert with her 15-inch MacBook Pro to replace her Windows T-series Thinkpad. She also thought that the 6+ would be a good fit. I'm tired of Microsoft's insecure WIN platform, the poor quality of current Windows laptop offerings, including the high-end Lenovo offerings. So I took her to the Apple Store and got her a 16GB, 512SSD, NVidia750M, i7, MacBook Pro. We were waiting for the 6+, but they've just lost that sale.

The design issue is inexcusable, and sooner or later, your phone will inadvertently get flexed to the point of deflection--even if you are careful and don't put it in your pocket. It doesn't have to be sitting, as the one reported, having in their front pocket when it bent.

Enjoy your phone that you now have to worry about trashing all of the time.

[gvstn]

20. Here is one engineer/student's take on the situation.

Combination of type of aluminum alloy and the location and weakening factor of the volume buttons.

The yellow comment in this tread: http://np.reddit.com/r/gadgets/comments/2hd7cu/galaxy_note_3_bend_test_iphone_6_plus_followup/ckrzrsi?context=3

[MisterP]

21. a "bent" machine, eh?

[Xithras]

22. This is a situation where plastic is actually better.

Apple is dealing with a problem that a number of Android manufacturers have learned about the hard way already. Phones like the HTC M8 bend. Phones like the G3 and the Note don't. What's the difference? Metal cases.

When a plastic cased phone flexes, it springs back. When a metal case phone bends, it stays bent. Because modern plastic cellphones use polymers that are nearly as strong as aluminum, they can provide the same protection against screen bending that an aluminum case can provide without the risk of a bent frame. The downside, of course, is that plastic phones tend to feel light and cheap.

[frylock]

23. i don't understand the appeal of a heavier phone

[Neoma]

27. It gives the appearance of quality.

They put weights in remote controls because the light ones feel cheap.

[bullwinkle428]

33. Exactly - this is why the iPhone 5 and HTC One felt way more "substantial"

to me than the Galaxy III. Eventually chose to purchase the iPhone 5.

[frylock]

41. i have an S3, and will probably get an S5 in november..

i prefer the lighter phones, and don't understand why people think that the aluminum bodies equate greater quality. when they come out with a titanium body, then i'll consider switching.

[TheBlackAdder]

48. The HTC One was outdated, when it came out. The iPhone 5 is a postage stamp.

Just because something feels lighter doesn't make it better.

MY brother-in-law's $5K racing bike is better than a 30lb Schwinn.

===

It's easier to gusset a device that's small. Obviously, Apple engineers couldn't design a larger phone that could take daily use, like Samsung had conquered. Perhaps the 6++ will be better.

[whereisjustice]

24. lol - samsung wasted no time...

?itok=H3I9bwny

[Javaman]

25. I only have 1 question...

who the fuck sits on their phones?

we the thinking people of the public, take ours out of our back pockets before we sit down.

and yes, full disclosure: I own apple stock.

[Neoma]

28. I think they meant peoples front pockets.

[Javaman]

36. and if it were in the front pocket, that's worse.

it would jab the person in that area next to your hip.

they would still feel it.

people are stupid.

[Neoma]

38. You put it in your front pocket when you're walking around...

You forget about it then you sit down and it jabs your hip. You take it out and find it bent.

I don't think that's stupid action, that's pretty damn natural.

[Javaman]

49. you and I have vasty different definitions of "natural". nt

[Neoma]

51. That's very possible.

I grew up in this technological age and was partially raised by the internet.

[frylock]

42. i've been carrying a phone in my front pocket for the last 15 years..

where else are you supposed to carry them?

[Javaman]

50. and are your pants spray paint tight?

that's the issue.

[frylock]

53. nope..

i will always wear a relaxed, or loose fit, despite the trends.

[Nite Owl]

26. nine?

Out of 10,000,000 sold? What percentage is that?

[snooper2]

29. math works LOL

[Neoma]

43. I'll tell you when I get to that point in my math homework.

[matt819]

30. Don't get me wrong. I enjoyed that bent phone video

The bent phone video was pretty entertaining.

And, sure, ganging up on Apple is a recognized Olympic sport.

But context really is everything. Nine bent phones out of 10 million is the definition of rare. And even if there were 90 or 900 or even 9,000, it would still be a rare event. And if you're one of those 9 or 90 or 900 or 9,000, Apple will almost certainly replace your phone.

Also, maybe I'm a rare breed (I like to think so), but I put my cell phones in cases to protect them from my own form of foolishness - dropping them. My bet is that a good case - not a decorative one - will protect against the bending.

So let's put a stop to this little bit of phony outrage.

[christx30]

35. Yes, they're rare.

They're certainly not well done.

[hughee99]

37. In the technology world, bad things that can happen under normal circumstances, even if rare,

are called defects, flaws or bugs. Apple is trying to play this off like someone didn't fuck up somewhere in the design.

[napi21]

52. All I will say is if I purchased a new phone for the BIG PRICE

that's charged for these new ones and it had ANY FLAWS, I'd be real pissed! I personally don't like apple products because everything is proprietary.

[VScott]

56. Not a very good month for Apple

The security flaw that enabled female celebrities iCloud accounts to be hacked.

Uploading the new U2 album to users accounts without their consent.

iOS 8 glitches causing it to be yanked within days.

And now the bending problem.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

58. The final word on this....

The truth is,...



....there is no phone.