That bendable iPhone 6 screen isn't a feature (update)

Sean Buckley|@seaniccus|September 23, 2014 7:18 PM

Not sure if you want to hide your shiny new iPhone's newfangled design in a bulky case? Maybe you should -- apparently, it's quite pliable. iPhone 6 and 6 Plus users on Twitter seem to be finding small, but noticeable bends just south of the handsets' volume controls. Front-pocket storage is all it takes to give the handset a gentle slope, according to some users, but it can be bent other ways too. Back pockets and malicious YouTube users (video from Unbox Therapy after the break) can both bend the device to their will.

Update: Just for kicks, the same guy tried the same thing with a Galaxy Note 3, and while its plastic frame gave some squeaking under the pressure, it showed only slight warping after two attempts. There's the difference in materials to account for, but of course we're not surprised -- we've seen how Samsung tests its large phones under pressure.

Update 2 (9/24): For one final video, Unbox Therapy lined up a few more phones: the new Moto X, HTC One (M8), iPhone 6, iPhone 5S and a Nokia Lumia 1020. Unsurprisingly, none bent to the degree of the iPhone 6 Plus, with only the iPhone 6 (standard) showing a slight bend. The Moto X and Lumia 1020 seemed the most resistant to pressure, while the One M8 and 5S creaked, but did not bend noticeably. Meanwhile, UBreakIFix gave it a shot, using a machine to stress several phones with exactly 100 lbs of pressure. The result there? The iPhone 6 Plus bent less than other large phones, but because of its metal frame, it couldn't bend back into shape afterwards. Overhyped video trend or real issue? Only time will tell, but you can see the test after the break, and for now, it looks like most other phones -- including Apple's -- don't respond to stress in the way the iPhone 6 Plus does.

Some say that extra-tight jeans are to blame, but it's really an issue of building materials -- the iPhone 6 and 6+ feature an aluminum chassis spread over a wider area than any previous iPhone. Aluminum is a naturally soft metal; with enough pressure and leverage, it's going to bend, and some owners reported similar issues with the iPhone 5. Metallurgy aside, though, it's still a potential drawback for Apple users thinking of upgrading.

Oups, l'iPhone 6 se déforme dans la poche ! http://t.co/szFfovaHB7 pic.twitter.com/Zru9uozhMU
- Florian Paulmier (@FlorianP123) September 23, 2014

I don't think Wall Street has heard about #bentgate yet. Stock is holding steady: http://t.co/dkRsisB3QF $AAPL
- Boris VvZ (@Boris) September 23, 2014

For the record, you can't bend a @oneplus. Or, I'm weak. Or, I didn't really want to try to anyway. #BendGate pic.twitter.com/asLkDrc1Bm
- John Colucci (@johncolucci) September 23, 2014