iPhone 6's Bending out of Shape - Serious Hardware Recall Imminent?

c0balt on 24/09/2014 - 13:41
Last edited 24/09/2014 - 13:42

Some of you have probably seen the articles this morning relating to the many people who have the iPhone 6 Plus have found their phones to been severely and permanently bent out of shape whilst in their pocket after normal use.

I don't think this fault can be something Apple could weasel out of fixing (product recall + all existing stock will be needed to get fixed) as there's now so many videos and articles surfacing of people experiencing it after normal use, and being able to bend the phone out of shape with hardly any force with their bare hands (unbent phones).

http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2014/09/and-heres-a-guy-bending-an…
www.macrumors.com/2014/09/23/iphone-6-plus-bending-pockets/
http://www.theage.com.au/digital-life/mobiles/bendgate-apple…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xmIBnOXo9E
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPYpaYRkSqc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQSZEPo5K7Q

Has anyone here experienced this with their new iPhone 6?

Should shareholders be worried about what this could cost the company??

Mobile Apple Mobile Phone

Comments

  • GnarlyKnuckles on 24/09/2014 - 13:51
    +105

    I reckon it's meant to be like that; it's a new feature. Like Memory-Foam, it "molds to the contours of your body". But in this case, it's "Memory Phone". I wonder just how flexible they actually are. Could you perhaps, for example, sculpt your phone into fun shapes, like a pac-man-ghost, or a teddy-bear?

      • Tuttorix on 25/09/2014 - 08:37
        +8

        I THINK that person MIGHT be making a joke @eXtremist…

    • netsurfer on 26/09/2014 - 12:52

      You are putting your phone in your pocket wrong. However, maybe Apple will provide a free bumper case for you. Reminds me of iPhone 4.

      Joke aside, people still want iPhone 6/6+s. The other issue is the camera white balance and slightly more chromatic aberration issue (potentially iOS 8 issue).

    • RockyRaccoon on 28/09/2014 - 01:05
      +1

      Now for something sane…..

      http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2014/09/consumer-rep…

      ….While nothing is (evidentally) indestructible, we expect that any of these phones should stand up to typical use.

      Results of Consumer Reports smart phone bend test
      Deformation…….Case separation

      HTC One (M8) 70 pounds 90 pounds
      Apple iPhone 6 70 pounds 100 pounds
      Apple iPhone 6 Plus 90 pounds 110 pounds
      LG G3 130 pounds 130 pounds
      Apple iPhone 5 130 pounds 150 pounds
      Samsung Galaxy Note3 150 pounds 150 pounds

      NO recall demand here by consumer reports, so looks like the OP misses out - sorry
      For reference, they also say

      What does 55 pounds mean in context? Using our Instron, we found that it's approximately the force required to break three pencils.

      • ozhunter on 28/09/2014 - 04:35

        Still looks easy to bend https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJ3Ds6uf0Yg

        • RockyRaccoon on 28/09/2014 - 12:10
          +1

          Actually the funniest comment is that by HTC

          Designed to withstand the most demanding environments. Like your pockets. #HTCOneM8

          — HTC USA (@HTCUSA) September 24, 2014

          Considering the HTC bent/split apart first out of the 5 tested…..

          Plus their phone is thicker….

          Guess like some here, HTC should have just waited a little before racing off half cocked..

    • GnarlyKnuckles on 24/09/2014 - 13:54
      +13

      "I can bend any phone…"

      Well I've got one of those Bakelite phones from the sixties here nemo… I'd like to see you bend this bad-boy!

    • ozhunter on 24/09/2014 - 13:55
      +4

      I can bend any phone

      But that company that makes plastic phones bends back :D

      • c0balt on 24/09/2014 - 13:59
        +21

        "I can bend any phone".

        *Proceeds to hand ilostnemo a Nokia 3310 and laughs as he breaks his brittle wrists trying to defend the iPhone's bend-ability as being "just something that all phones do, you shouldn't even have it in your pocket if you want to take care of your phone as that bends it".

        • StewBalls on 24/09/2014 - 23:28
          +5

          LOL, I'm hearing nemo as Monty Burns feebly saying I'll give you the bending of a life time! ;)

        • djones145 on 24/09/2014 - 14:59
          +17

          another blog, I love android, note that apple phones are the only ones with issues, in regards to bending cracking and exploding

          I love android notes that in the history of android phones, there has never been a single phone that has ever, EVER has any issues at all, all android phones are perfect

          as u can see, its a bit rich getting comment from "Cult of mac" , quite obvious they would be bias!

        • elusive on 24/09/2014 - 21:03
          +1

          You'll note that at least a few of their examples are from people sitting on their phones.

          We're talking phones bending in the front pocket here*. This is a rather different issue. Sure, you can bend most phones, given enough force, but that doesn't mean those forces are generally expected from everyday use.

          *Actually, there is an S4 in that list that had a failed screen - but I'll note that the phone body wasn't permanently bent, nor does it appear to be a widespread issue.

    • imcold on 24/09/2014 - 14:01
      +4

      Yeah clearly they are using the wrong pocket to store their phones, they are doing it the wrong way. Apple will recommend you store it in the pocket found in your underwear. Why?

      How often do you sit down or stand up putting a strain whatever is inside your pants pocket.

      How often have you bumped the side of your leg on a chair, table, post etc, which could damage the device in your pocket.

      Now how many times have you bumped yourself in the crotch?

      You see safest place wont get err bent, bumped etc, at all.

    • tran_p on 25/09/2014 - 08:02
      +3

      Try bending the Nokia 3310? The Nokia will bend you!

  • imcold on 24/09/2014 - 13:52

    Just like the Z series self cracking screen. No refunds.

    Besides wasn't memory foam all the craze not too long ago.

    Now we have a phone that will fit snugly to your body shape.

    • GnarlyKnuckles on 24/09/2014 - 13:56
      -5

      "Post-stealer" ;-O

      • imcold on 24/09/2014 - 13:58
        +1

        grrrr you beat me by 1 minute so gonna post another.

      • GnarlyKnuckles on 24/09/2014 - 17:15

        So izza unknowingly nicks my post (by having an almost identical series of thoughts as myself, at the exact same time, which frankly leads me suggest that he's some kind of genius), but I get negged? What do you make of this Izza? Is it "OzB-gone-wild", or is there some rational explanation for it which I'm missing?

        • StewBalls on 24/09/2014 - 23:34
          +1

          Independently reaching the same conclusion as others, based on the same presenting evidence, usually gets written off as groupthink! ;)

        • GnarlyKnuckles on 25/09/2014 - 09:12
          -1

          @StewBalls:
          You are 100% wrong about that StewedBalls. "Groupthink" is, by definition, when a group of peeps reach a certain conclusion TOGETHER; i.e. not "independently".

        • StewBalls on 25/09/2014 - 09:14
          +2

          @GnarlyKnuckles: WHOOSH!!! That went 100% over your head, didn't it?

          FFS, it's not even that subtle…go have a coffee or something…knucklehead! ;)

        • imcold on 25/09/2014 - 16:48
          +2

          @StewBalls:

          Independent thinking that comes up with the same conclusion means the idea is probably patently obvious.

          Sort of like "slide to unlock"

          http://phandroid.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10…

        • smartazz104 on 25/09/2014 - 22:51

          @imcold:

          Easy to say in hindsight though.

    • JimmyF on 24/09/2014 - 21:20
      +3

      Sony replaced my screen under warranty :)

      • striker5950 on 25/09/2014 - 15:37
        +1

        @ilostnemo
        here is a video to prove you wrong about your statement that you can bend any phone
        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IROcoJeVfSI

        • imcold on 25/09/2014 - 17:21
          +2

          Yeah apple phone have a design flaw. All the other phones have a curved back for extra durability against bending, whilst iphones has a flat back. Just shows if your 2 years late to the large screen party your design is hopeless flawed.

          Too much secrecy.. and not enough road testing. If they had accidently left an iphone 6+ behind in a bar I'm sure it would have gotten the necessary durablity testing.

  • rapoot6 on 24/09/2014 - 14:43
    +54

    Not to worry. They will fix it with a magical firmware upgrade

    • scrimshaw on 24/09/2014 - 15:59
      +26

      You're holding pocketing it wrong!

      • ozscharfschutze on 25/09/2014 - 23:13
        +2

        You need looser chinos!

        • striker5950 on 26/09/2014 - 10:47
          +4

          Iphone 6 will have a great impact on the death of skinny jeans

    • GnarlyKnuckles on 24/09/2014 - 17:02
      +2

      "They will fix it with a magical firmware upgrade…"

      Hilarious hombre!!! Best one-liner I've read on here for a while! Please post more often.

      EDIT: Believe it or not, I was actually being serious (not sarcastic); I genuinely found the above post about firmware hilarious. So hold off on the negs… unless of course it's slack-jawed apple-folk doing the negging…

      • smartazz104 on 25/09/2014 - 22:52

        Well if you "genuinely found the above post about firmware hilarious", I wouldn't call others "slack-jawed"…

    • toristo on 24/09/2014 - 19:26
      +18

      Er, I think this is more of a 'soft'ware issue.

    • tomwood on 25/09/2014 - 08:50

      spoke too soon!

    • Dave1988 on 25/09/2014 - 22:25
      +1

      even that is failing http://www.cnet.com/uk/news/apple-releases-ios-8-0-1-a-week-…

      • striker5950 on 26/09/2014 - 10:48
        +1

        My third gen ipad slowed down to shit after ios 8 update, i wish i could go back to previous

    • No ONE on 25/09/2014 - 22:45
      +3

      Like a magical microwave charging update… lol

  • ilostnemo on 24/09/2014 - 14:44

    I don't think Apple will be worried, a handful of devices out of the 20 million they sold 1st weekend. People want lighter, well with that comes sacrifices. #bendgate is alive at twitter with some pics

  • djones145 on 24/09/2014 - 15:00

    you should head to the apple store, I dunno if its because I read about the bent phones, but every single phone they had on display seems to have a slight curve on it o.O

  • Yummy on 24/09/2014 - 15:26

    Bendable phone… I smell lawsuit. :p

  • Unorthodox on 24/09/2014 - 15:59
    -1

    It also will lead to cracks in the screen.

    I'm guessing that the bend would have been OK if the sapphire glass was added…

    No refund… Possibly changes in the newer models

    • zeomega on 25/09/2014 - 15:26
      +3

      Sapphire glass is LESS flexible. Will crack/shatter more easily.

      • Unorthodox on 25/09/2014 - 19:42
        -2

        … You're kidding right?

        Have a look at the reviews of the panel that was supposed to be on the iPhone 6

        • zeomega on 27/09/2014 - 00:57
          +2

          supposed?? LoL.

          Unless it's apple advertising it's R&D for the world to see.. which i doubt it is…. It's just another fanboi making shit up and believing shit other fanbois post.

          Higher hardness comes at a cost mate, sapphire is more brittle than glass. Period.

          A quick google gave me this.

          http://youtu.be/kVQbu_BsZ9o

        • Unorthodox on 27/09/2014 - 14:05
          -3

          @zeomega:

          The camera sensor and touch ID panel are already sapphire.

          A quick Google search will tell you that having sapphire glass will lead to your screen being more durable.

          And I'm not a fanboy…I have a Nexus 5 and will never switch to an iPhone. In fact, I'm an android enthusiast.

        • klumsybot on 27/09/2014 - 15:40
          +5

          Hardness and toughness are different things. Hardness is resistance to scratching but toughness is how far something will bend before breaking.

          Ductile metals are usually tough while hard materials are usually brittle.

          Theres also a stress concentration near the the volume buttons where the failures happen.

          I think too ductile/soft an alloy was used in the shell, more carbon in the alloy next time and thicker walls, smaller buttons.

        • zeomega on 27/09/2014 - 23:01

          @BanSlavery:

          FACEPALM

          You don't really understand materials do you?

    • diddy50 on 26/09/2014 - 16:55

      If your phone is broken or bent they have to refund or replace it for you.

  • rdaun on 24/09/2014 - 16:04
    +24

    Hey, at least it's a feature that the Nexus 4 does not have :P

  • Annoying Source on 24/09/2014 - 16:07
    +15

    Poeple Might find this interesting

    Iphone 6 bends quite easily with a small amount of pressure as seen here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znK652H6yQM

    Note 3 stands up to the same amount of pressure and then some but survives with the tiniest bend as seen here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwM4ypi3at0

    • c0balt on 24/09/2014 - 16:22
      +3

      Great link and pretty definitive conclusion.

      It's definitely a hardware fault that would require a recall program.

    • Ethereal Winter on 24/09/2014 - 16:45

      I dunno it look like he put a lot of force into that, and I'm pretty sure my Nexus 5 would snap if I put that amount force like that.

      • StewBalls on 24/09/2014 - 22:55
        +8

        It looked like he put a lot more force into the Note 3, and the result really surprised me, I expected a similar result to the iP6…chalk one up to the power of plastic, eh! ;)

        • Tuttorix on 25/09/2014 - 21:02
          +3

          It's not per say the plastic, it's the TYPE of plastic and the frame of the phone. It's similar to the Galaxy S5 build and so basically the Samsung Galaxy Series are SERIOUS durability phones. If you want crazy ass durability, just go with Nokia. No matter how new the phone they release, it's still pretty damn durable including the Lumia Series.

        • StewBalls on 25/09/2014 - 21:08
          +2

          @DAOtmc: That's good to hear, my Lumia 920 is en-route as we speak! :)

    • oringal on 24/09/2014 - 20:56
      +7

      its like apple didnt even bother trying with and quality assurance testing… e.g. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPMZz5O9CeI

      • StewBalls on 24/09/2014 - 22:53
        +9

        Too many visioneers, not enough engineers it would seem…

        • ankor on 25/09/2014 - 10:42
          +1

          If it's like any company ever, then there's a long paper trail of engineers or designers not listening to each other- content in their own silos.

        • zeomega on 27/09/2014 - 01:00

          @ankor:

          More like no one listening to the engineer's advice till shit hits the fan.

          Source: I'm an engineer…… annnnddddd….I'm covered in shit.

    • ATangk on 24/09/2014 - 23:24

      Does anyone know if there is a similar issue in the original iphone 6? Everyone mentions that the iphone 6 is bending but exclusively refer to the 6plus.

      • Woodyg22 on 24/09/2014 - 23:29
        +1

        Longer phone so more leverage making the plus easier and more likely to bend. Assuming they are built the same could happen to both, just not as easily for the 4.7", or not as easily for the Note 3..

    • cameldownunder on 25/09/2014 - 14:05

      His hand are shaking. Obviously he puts a lot of effort into that bending.

  • ilostnemo on 24/09/2014 - 16:40
    +14

    With Apple support, the way it is , the people who encounter it, will be swapped for a new phone. Are these people putting their phones in their back pocket. I doubt they would recall, they never recalled when the 4 had antenna issues, just released a free bumper.

    If it becomes very widespread, then they'll recall.

    If sony or Samsung produce a phone that bends, Apple will sue for copyright

    • lplau on 24/09/2014 - 17:01
      +1

      The antenna issue was wide spread. They just blamed it on the customer using the device incorrectly. Then they say they are the saviour and give you a free bumper.

      It was such a bad issue that they even fired the guy who designed it. Soon we may see the guy who designed the iPhone 6Plus being fired.

      • scrimshaw on 24/09/2014 - 17:19
        +1

        Perhaps this time Apple will give away slim cases with a hardened alloy to for IP6+ owners.

    • Teal on 25/09/2014 - 12:07

      LG had it first though , a legit one too .
      I think it's called the LG flex?

      • Tuttorix on 25/09/2014 - 21:03

        Yeah it's the LG G-Flex.

  • LYRICALRAVER on 24/09/2014 - 16:42

    phones and antennaes in the pockets aren't a great idea. wasn't there a rumour it could make your balls shrink? LOL

    • cameldownunder on 25/09/2014 - 14:06
      +4

      Or grow !!

      • diddy50 on 26/09/2014 - 16:57
        +2

        No point in having big balls, the sausage needs to be bigger too

  • lplau on 24/09/2014 - 16:59
    +13

    From past experiences with Apple, especially the antennagate issue. They won't refund you, they may offer you a case so it prevents it from happening.

    I'm going to say this before Tim Cook says it: "The Apple iPhone 6Plus isn't defective nor is it badly designed. It is you (THE CUSTOMERS) storing the phone incorrectly.

    Apple Fanbois will suck it up and live with it, something only apple can pull off. It off was a windows phone people would have ripped them a new hole.

    • [Deactivated] on 26/09/2014 - 17:20
      +3

      Exactly. And then for their next iPhone, they will make some durability changes to address this, and claim it as a revolutionary new advancement… like they presented the iPhone 4S antenna.

  • John on 24/09/2014 - 17:18

    I'm sure Apple will replace the broken phones. And then hands out free cases to everyone. I doubt they will recall the product.

  • Davo1111 on 24/09/2014 - 17:19
    -7

    There won't be a product recall because it's not a safety issue.

    Back before "gorilla glass" was popular, we never blamed apple for the glass breaking when somebody dropped their phone. This isn't any different.

    Also, if you're applying that much force in your pocket, you probably shouldn't be using a smart phone

    • c0balt on 24/09/2014 - 17:29
      +3

      In a some of the cases of the phone bending the glass itself is cracking under the pressure and could possibly send shards into the users thigh. Lawsuits anyone?

      I've got a Note II and it bends when it's in my pocket, but it always straightens up. I can bend it in my hands a little too and the most it does is creak and moan but always goes back to being straight as it's made of plastic. When you forget that metal is a lot more malleable than plastic (at room temperature), less elastic and then making that metal stupidly thin - then you are going to end up with a lot of permanently bent phones.

      I could imagine the engineers yelling at Cook at Ives saying this was going to happen, but Cook and Ives going all Steve Jobs on the engineers telling them that the design must be thin and for the engineers to make do. Now they will get blamed despite everyone knowing Apple's design process.

      Also it's from normal force Davo. As in sitting down and the pressure of the jeans pressing up against your thigh is enough to bend the phone enough to end up with a banana shape that will never sit flush on a table (not that the iPhones sit flush anymore due to the incredibly stupid decision to have the lens cover for the camera protruding out the back).

      • scrimshaw on 24/09/2014 - 17:45

        could possibly send shards into the users thigh.

        If the glass is gorilla glass they're designed to be relatively shatter proof. They'll crack, but they won't break into little sharp knives like soda lime strenghtened glass does.

        • c0balt on 24/09/2014 - 18:11
          +1

          Well Gorilla Glass is actually more brittle than normal glass which would make it more likely to shatter/crack than normal glass, but have a much higher scratch resistance (hardness). The moment you apply any force to a cracked display shards are going to start coming out as there's nothing holding them in besides friction to the next shard. The only way to make something as brittle as (gorilla) glass shatter proof is to laminate it, which no devices do to my knowledge.

          So if the phone display digitizer was to crack in your pocket, then there's a high chance that through normal moment that a shard is going to come lose and potentially stick you in the leg.

          It can also send a shard out on first impact. Here's a pic of a friends iPhone 5 that had a little drop which sent a shard from corner of the display under the fridge. The phone still works 100% and has for a long time since he did it.

          http://i.imgur.com/MXL77ls.jpg

          *note how you can see behind the display in the corner - it did pop out quite the glass shard.

      • Davo1111 on 24/09/2014 - 18:49

        In a some of the cases of the phone bending the glass itself is cracking under the pressure and could possibly send shards into the users thigh. Lawsuits anyone?

        Good luck trying to argue that the manufacturer should have considered damage caused by applying extreme force to a phone. Even if you did win, the maximum you'd be able to claim is the replacement value of the phone. All that will happen is people will sign up to a class action, the lawyers will get rich, and anyone who signed up with get a $20 itunes voucher as restitution.

        As in sitting down and the pressure of the jeans pressing up against your thigh

        So what pressure should a phone be able to withstand? I doubt a judge is going to accept that "normal use" is a 100kg person sitting on an electronic device made of glass.

        • c0balt on 24/09/2014 - 18:54
          +1

          "Good luck trying to argue that the manufacturer should have considered damage caused by applying extreme force to a phone."

          It's happening in the front jeans pocket just from the pressure of walking around or sitting. Not extreme force. Did you read any of the links in the OP or watch any of the videos? It doesn't sounds like you did.

          "Even if you did win, the maximum you'd be able to claim is the replacement value of the phone."

          If there's an injury resulting from glass shattering under normal use then you better bet there will be a massive lawsuit. A defective product resulting in injury is what some lawyers live for, for good reason. Have you ever seen a medical bill breakdown after reimbursement from medicare or private health? There's usually a lot of zeros at the end even if it's a real simple and quick ER visit.

          "So what pressure should a phone be able to withstand? I doubt a judge is going to accept that "normal use" is a 100kg person sitting on an electronic device made of glass."

          They are not sitting on it, so the weight of the person wont matter as much as their choice of pants in this case. It sounds like you might even tell others "well you didn't wear the Apple recommended pants today so your iPhone getting broken is your fault".

          I would say that not becoming permanently bent under the pressure of being pressed against someone's thighs by their jeans in their front pocket is a bloody reasonable starting point, and then to take it from there.

        • ankor on 25/09/2014 - 10:49

          @c0balt:

          It's not like the phone is exploding like a live grenade in someone's pocket. We are talking tiny shards of glass that have to break through the barrier of cloth to penetrate to the thigh, or alternatively, someone's fingers/fingertips when they reach to grab the phone.

          There won't be million dollar lawsuits that get off the ground for personal injuries due to a broken iphone 6 in the pocket, at least not in Australia.

        • simulacrum on 26/09/2014 - 10:40
          +1

          @ankor: I bet there will be in the US.. those guys sue at the drop of a hat

  • [Deactivated] on 24/09/2014 - 17:22
    +30

    Can't wait to see Samsung's next TV commercial.

    • BadHorse on 25/09/2014 - 20:19

      I usually detest seeing those video die to lack to imagination, then I saw Apple 'Bigger than Bigger' tagline and now i've lowered my expectations…

    • msmhw on 26/09/2014 - 16:21
      +10

      Not sure if it's official or not but here we go
      http://files.ozbargain.com.au/upload/81226/25489/image.jpg

      • superm86 on 02/10/2014 - 16:39

        Awesome!
        I guess Apple can say keep changing sides while placing in pocket daily - phone will come back to normal shape :)

    • massafiri on 26/09/2014 - 17:59
      -4

      Samsung is like the fat schoolyard bully. They will pick on everyone else's flaws just to divert attention from their own.

      Sad that businesses have to resort to that type of advertising just to get noticed.

      • taqi on 28/09/2014 - 03:41
        +3

        isnt that exactly what apple did with the "I'm a Mac/I'm a PC" ads? Also samsung doesnt "just" get noticed…and the notice they do get isn't because of those ads.

        • arislan on 27/10/2014 - 12:02

          So? Its not Apple or Samsung here.. they are both alike although Apple pioneered it, Samsung is just like em.

  • ilostnemo on 24/09/2014 - 17:39
    -6

    http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2287882

    You can google any model and find similar stories.
    Unfortunately idiots buy iphones as well.

Login or Join to leave a comment
Login Join