“Two days ago, the Internet erupted with photos of bent iPhone 6s, and a very-viral video of a guy creasing an iPhone 6 Plus with his bare hands. It seemed like a serious concern, yet everything about the uproar was highly unscientific. We don’t like unscientific, so we promised then that we would use our lab equipment to find out just how delicate the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus really are,” Consumer Reports reports. “We also promised to run the same tests on comparable smart phones. We’ve done that now, and our tests show that both iPhones seem tougher than the Internet fracas implies.”
MacDailyNews Take: Even grandma’s Consumer Reports sees this for what it is: FUD.
“To stress test these phones, we used what’s called a ‘three-point flexural test,’ in which the phone is supported at two points on either end, then force is applied at a third point on the top — you can see the testing for yourself in our video,” CR reports. “We applied and measured the force using a high-precision Instron compression test machine. Along with the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, we tested the LG G3, Samsung Galaxy Note 3, and HTC One (M8), and for those wondering about their old iPhones, we tested the iPhone 5 as well. We used one sample of each phone.”
“We started light, applying 10 pounds of force for 30 seconds, then releasing the force. Then we increased the force in 10-pound increments, noted when the phones first started to deform (that’s what our engineers call it) and stopped the test for each phone when we saw the screen come loose from the case,” CR reports. “All the phones we tested showed themselves to be pretty tough. The iPhone 6 Plus, the more robust of the new iPhones in our testing, started to deform when we reached 90 pounds of force, and came apart with 110 pounds of force. With those numbers, it slightly outperformed the HTC One (which is largely regarded as a sturdy, solid phone), as well as the smaller iPhone 6… Bear in mind that it took significant force to do this kind of damage to all these phones. While nothing is (evidentally) indestructible, we expect that any of these phones should stand up to typical use.”
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Read more and video in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: The End.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Readers “Tamir Cassel” and “Darkness” for the heads up.]
Related articles:
Analysts: Ignore irrational ‘bendgate’ noise and buy Apple stock – September 26, 2014
Inside the facility where Apple tortures the iPhone 6 – September 26, 2014
Apple opens testing facility to reporters, details exhaustive iPhone 6 Plus durability tests – September 25, 2014
Apple’s gauntlet of five durability tests that iPhone 6 Plus passed with flying colors – September 25, 2014
Apple: Only nine customers have complained about bent iPhone 6 Plus units – September 25, 2014
If ‘bending’ is all Apple’s iPhone 6 Plus rivals have left, they’re roadkill – September 24, 2014
While I enjoyed their video on the iPhone 6 plus bendgate.
I think it’s missing the point. Hopefully not on purpose.
They were only bending them for 10 seconds and then letting them flex back. But the reports I’ve herard are that they bend when stressed for hours at a time in pants poket.
As I am wanting to get an iPhone 6 plus when they are available. And I cary my phone in my front jeans pocket I would be interested in seeing the test done again.
If they could redo the test at 10 and 20 pounds and hold it for 1 hour, then 2 hours and so on to see how long it takes for it to not flex back. That would be more reflective of the reports and real life (as it’s not uncommon to be driving with my phone in my front jeans pocket for many hours).
The other thing they should do to make it more scientific is test how much force an object the size of the iPhone 6 plus receives in tight jeans when sitting. And use that as the weight they use to hold for icrimental hours at a time.
Jeeeeze! It’s only a phone! Relax a little..