Apple shows how it's quality testing the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus, #bendgate intensifies

posted by Peter K. / Sep 26, 2014, 2:02 AM

Apple shows how it's quality testing the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus, #bendgate intensifies

Cupertino already issued an official statement regarding the notorious and already viral #bendgate build quality issue that some users of the larger of the iPhones have experienced – provided that you feel like it, you can bend the iPhone 6 with your bare hands if you apply enough force to the aluminum shell. Surprisingly enough, it was also said that only 9 users have formally filed in complaints with Cupertino.

Apple afterwards decided to further assure its potential customers that it's treating all of its iPhones to the necessary quality tests. Certain journalists were allowed inside Cupertino's test labs, where the newest crop of iPhones are being trialed. It was revealed that more than the aluminum outer bodies, as well as the stainless steel and titanium insides of more than 30,000 units have been tested. The tests in question are a sit test, a three-point bend test, a pressure point test, and a torsion test.

All of these tests have a lot to do with the bending issues, but the sit test and the three-point bend one seem to be a tad more related. Apple says it performs a number of different sitting scenarios, directly sitting on the device over a soft or a hard surface among others. During the three-point bend test, on the other hand, a 25kg weight is being pressed against the rear center point of the iPhone. Apple claims that enduring this weight is completely within the capabilities of both the newest iPhones.

The pressure point test in particular consist of applying a 10kg weight with a lot of pressure directly to the device. Last, the torsion test comprises twisting and squeezing the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus in various directions in order to test the integrity of the aluminum shell.

What do you think – should have Apple tested the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus more thoroughly or some faulty units among the plethora of already-sold ones are nothing to write home about? Drop a line below and let us know!

Apple shows the durability tests behind the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus

source: Recode via GSMArena

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55 Comments

1. Tritinum

Posts: 471; Member since: May 06, 2014

Are they trolling themselves :/

posted on Sep 26, 2014, 2:06 AM 17

8. jcdz89

Posts: 78; Member since: Mar 01, 2013

Whatever it didn't work...

posted on Sep 26, 2014, 2:24 AM 12

16. CoastCity

Posts: 257; Member since: Mar 07, 2014

So, the did all those tests and still fail?

posted on Sep 26, 2014, 3:10 AM 19

23. E.N.

Posts: 2610; Member since: Jan 25, 2009

If we're actually serious about figuring out if the iPhone 6+ really does have an issue, we can't disregard everything Apple says. Their argument is that it actually passes a more accurate/realistic bend test, but there are still extremely rare cases where it bends from everyday usage. Grabbing the phone and bending with all your might, although fun to watch, might not really be an accurate test. When you're sitting down with your phone in your pocket, the forces are distributed over a much larger area, not two single spots where your thumbs are.

posted on Sep 26, 2014, 4:28 AM 6

27. darkkjedii

Posts: 30974; Member since: Feb 05, 2011

Excellent post bro.

posted on Sep 26, 2014, 5:57 AM 2

34. SuperAndroidEvo

Posts: 4888; Member since: Apr 15, 2011

That's what I have been saying all along. If the iPhone 6 Plus can bend with your hands, imagine using your full body weight, when you sit on it, bump in to a door or desk... Apple clearly has a design flaw in the iPhone 6 & 6 Plus. It should never be that easy to bend a phone with your own hands...

posted on Sep 26, 2014, 8:08 AM 3

45. E.N.

Posts: 2610; Member since: Jan 25, 2009

Again, if we're being completely fair, we have no idea how much force Unbox Therapy used. Also, in what real life situations will you have two small thumb-sized areas providing large amounts of force like that? When you sit down with the phone in your back pocket, your entire body weight doesn't go to directly to the phone, it's spread across the area of BOTH buttocks and upper posterior thigh and also spread throughout the body of your phone. The questions we should be asking is what official weight did Apple use to test and was it enough? I'm not saying there actually isn't an issue, but now that Apple is (finally) responding, we should be more objective.

posted on Sep 26, 2014, 1:05 PM 0

50. SuperAndroidEvo

Posts: 4888; Member since: Apr 15, 2011

How come other phones that were subjected to the same test the iPhone 6 & 6 Plus got, didn't bend? An edge of a desk, or door can do that easily. I personally think Apple didn't do too much R&D because the phone can easily be bent by hand, not to mention actual body weight. They are too busy making the phone thin & look pretty that they bypassed something so important as durability. It's a really, really bad mistake...

posted on Sep 26, 2014, 2:35 PM 0

52. E.N.

Posts: 2610; Member since: Jan 25, 2009

It's great that the other phones survived, but bending by hand is pretty much pointless if there are no real world applications. A desk edge or a table? I'm not sure exactly how that would work, especially the door. But regardless, if the device can survive every day in your pocket for 99.999% of users, there's absolutely no need for a recall. If it can't, it should be recalled. All personal opinion aside, it's really that simple.

posted on Sep 26, 2014, 7:05 PM 0

51. Neo_Huang

Posts: 1067; Member since: Dec 06, 2013

Yeah, my G2 has crap build quality, and even creaks when pressured, but it doesn't bend.

posted on Sep 26, 2014, 4:58 PM 0

41. synot

Posts: 277; Member since: Sep 14, 2012

You are as dumb as Apple wants you to be.These tests now being shown is just for publicity.They weren't done before the scandal.

posted on Sep 26, 2014, 12:29 PM 1

46. E.N.

Posts: 2610; Member since: Jan 25, 2009

You're totally right. They built the entire facility, manufactured all the equipment, and hired all the employees in the last 48 hrs...without a single person noticing.

posted on Sep 26, 2014, 1:12 PM 1

42. synot

Posts: 277; Member since: Sep 14, 2012

I am sure the phones bending in front pockets uses less force than APPLES supposedly lab tests,yet still bends.The phone bending video was just an illustration not a yardstick.

posted on Sep 26, 2014, 12:36 PM 0

30. madmikepr

Posts: 138; Member since: Aug 09, 2011

They sure put a pressure of a Child -_-

posted on Sep 26, 2014, 6:19 AM 1

19. Ashoaib

Posts: 3276; Member since: Nov 15, 2013

they are trolling ifans bcoz after reading this post, ifan will say wow apple's QC is the best... it is useless to show all these testing when in real life phone bends inside the pocket

posted on Sep 26, 2014, 3:48 AM 8

24. rantao333

Posts: 345; Member since: May 21, 2013

why u guys so ignorant? i think is the only chance for fandroids to made fun about apple. 1.When apple show torture test and it pass Answer from fandroid : its fail! dint work! trying to fool 2.When apple give 1 to 1 exchange warranty, and only 9 are exchanged globally answer from fandroid : MORE will be coming!! apple is hiding the truth! 3.When video show others phones bend too answer from fandroid : apple bend! i dont care about others phone. 4.When plastic phone turn back to its original shape after bend. answer from fandroid : its more durable than apple! plastic is more superior! thats why i hate aluminium! its show much brain damage & irational in these group of haters than the so call ish33p.

posted on Sep 26, 2014, 4:40 AM 3

25. Ashoaib

Posts: 3276; Member since: Nov 15, 2013

no you are totally wrong... it shows that whatever justification given to you or ifans from apple will be accepted whole heartedly without even thinking for a second(thats why called i$heep, I call izombies though) by the way, you proved post#19

posted on Sep 26, 2014, 5:29 AM 8

43. synot

Posts: 277; Member since: Sep 14, 2012

Iphone users have Iphonealzheimers.

posted on Sep 26, 2014, 12:40 PM 0

26. Diezparda

Posts: 941; Member since: Oct 23, 2013

HTC M8 also made by aluminium, but some video test doesn't show same result with iPhone 6 & i had the One M8 so i can confirm it's not bend easily. Irrational huh? but your post just tell us how much you feel insecure about your favourite brand, even when you are not paid.

posted on Sep 26, 2014, 5:44 AM 3

29. vincelongman

Posts: 5677; Member since: Feb 10, 2013

Don't you realise that the Note 3 (and most other flagships) also have metal frames The Note 3 has a magnesium alloy frame under the plastic outer body, yet it still returned to its original shape after bending Here's a somewhat scientific test, though the tester doesn't know what he's talking abouthttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sr-lEnPwzAw The Note 3 has a more flexible magnesium frame, so even though it bends more it returns to its original shape has the magnesium frame was only elastically deformed The 6+ has a stiffer aluminum body/frame, but it isn't as flexible, so the aluminum is plastically deformed, i.e. deformed to a point where it wont return to its original shape

posted on Sep 26, 2014, 6:04 AM 2

48. Cicero

Posts: 1120; Member since: Jan 22, 2014

But you from now on you will be worried about your ip6+ carrying in your jeans. Mine will be bending or not? Uhhh!

posted on Sep 26, 2014, 1:38 PM 0

2. f35hunter

Posts: 238; Member since: Dec 12, 2013

Just trying to fools anyone who is not an iFan becuz iZobies always believe in anything apple tells to them (in blindly manor and without thinking) !!! but everyone (except iZombies) knows the ugly truth about the iDurability !

posted on Sep 26, 2014, 2:09 AM 4

3. natelim

Posts: 16; Member since: Mar 09, 2014

Damage control Video

posted on Sep 26, 2014, 2:09 AM 8

4. AlikMalix unregistered

"They're bending it wrong" right back at you Apple.. kidding. But I'm not going to make excuses for apple, I love iOS - so I'll end up buying the next iPhone6s (I get the S models with my 2 year contract cycle) - I'll just have to be a little more careful. Apple has replaced my water damaged phone even though warranty didn't cover it, I wouldn't worry about this either - like I said - it's not like it bends on its own, I tried it with a friends iPhone 6 and in the store iPhone 6+, it takes a lot of effort to bend it - You have to be completely reckless to bend it that way... I'm actually very surprised the glass doesn't crack under so much bending... Cudos to Corning...

posted on Sep 26, 2014, 2:10 AM 0

5. mr2009

Posts: 34; Member since: Mar 26, 2013

were those machine calibrated before they did the test? cause real world test totally wrecks their lab test...

posted on Sep 26, 2014, 2:17 AM 8

14. E.N.

Posts: 2610; Member since: Jan 25, 2009

To be completely fair, these tests look a little more thorough than grabbing the phone and bending as hard as you can.

posted on Sep 26, 2014, 2:52 AM 3

35. troutsy

Posts: 382; Member since: Feb 17, 2012

Not really, we don't have any idea from those videos what limit(s) they are using to test the parts. I know Apple's demographic runs a little lean, but I don't think testing with a 55 pound force is demonstrating a robust design. In relation to the bend test using hands, that is a LOT of force to be pushing with your thumbs. There are values for what human beings are comfortable with pushing with fingers, and I think the 25kg test really falls in line with the human bend test. Is apple limiting the force/torque or displacement on the tests? They could make a handful of amazing looking videos that aren't even testing the correct failure mode of the part...

posted on Sep 26, 2014, 8:09 AM 1

47. E.N.

Posts: 2610; Member since: Jan 25, 2009

Just keep in mind that if a 200 pound man sits on a chair, the 200lbs is distributed across a very large area. 55 lbs might actually be enough, we don't know!

posted on Sep 26, 2014, 1:24 PM 0

6. mixedfish

Posts: 1553; Member since: Nov 17, 2013

I don't even like Apple and I think all these 'bendgate' stuff is stupid. Seriously you need ~50kg of pinpoint force to 'bend' the phones, if you somehow find yourself in that situation you're either bending it purposely or sitting on it with your fat ass.

posted on Sep 26, 2014, 2:23 AM 4

7. magnum44 unregistered

Apple's stance on the bending issue is that it is not a fault but just an insignificant 'trait' already carefully factored in (i.e. a calculated compromise that may at worst affect durability). In other words, take it or leave it. But I'm sure they are reviewing their calculation on this calculated compromise.

posted on Sep 26, 2014, 2:23 AM 1

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