Apple has officially issued a statement regarding the iPhone 6 bending controversy saying the issue is rare during real world use and that it’s only received complaints from 9 customers (via CNBC). Apple adds, according to the reports, that the “new iPhones feature steel/titanium inserts to reinforce stress locations and use the strongest glass in the industry.” Apple also commented that bending is “extremely rare” during normal use and that it performs a number of strength and durability tests (as you’d expect) before it ships new devices (via WSJ):
Since going on sale Friday, Apple said only nine customers have contacted the company about a bent iPhone 6 Plus—the larger and more expensive of its two new iPhones. Apple said both the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus passed a series of tests meant to check the products’ strength and durability to withstand every day, real-life use.
The controversy over whether or not the new iPhone 6 models are less durable than previous generations or other smartphones picked up mainstream media attention after videos of users bending the device appeared online. Other videos quickly appeared online showing the device compared to phones from competitors and previous generation iPhones. Competitors have also taken advantage of the situation this week with LG, BlackBerry, and others mocking the bending controversy while promoting their own devices.
In Wired’s iPhone 6 Plus review, Mat Honan described his 5.5-inch iPhone model as being bent:
Below is Apple’s full statement on the issue via Financial Times:
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.
