“Computer Bild, Europe’s best-selling computer magazine, has had its PR accreditation pulled after posting a video of one of its journalists bending an iPhone 6 Plus,” Ben Lovejoy reports for 9to5Mac.
“The video is the usual #bendgate nonsense: you can see from the white fingers and shaking from the tension in the hands that a ridiculous amount of force is used,” Lovejoy reports. “Apply that much force to most phones and you’re going to damage them.”
Lovejoy reports, “Computer Bild responded with an open letter to Tim Cook in which it questioned Apple’s response and vowed to continue its ‘incorruptible tests.'”
Computer Bild‘s “bendgate” FUD video:
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Note: Computer Bild‘s open letter to Apple CEO Tim Cook, verbatim:
Dear Mr. Tim Cook!
Just like anyone else who is obsessed with digital technology we have eagerly awaited the new iPhone. We felt relief when the head of our telecom department one day shouted “Here we go!”, presenting an invitation to the great event. And certainly we took a flight, went all the way to California, just to tell our readers every detail about the device that you and your company have worked on so hard for such a long time.
When the iPhone 6 Plus finally hit the market we noticed a few reports on a possible problem. According to them the case seemed to be weak, “bendable”, to drop the evil word. Being popular for our tests with utmost scrutiny, we could not leave the subject without comment. Of course that required further tests since testing new products without any prejudice is our obligation to our readers.
And so we bought an iPhone 6 Plus, just to find out whether it was a singular problem or some kind of hoax. The test was quite simple, so we could easily record it on video. Just to prove that what happens is nothing but the truth.
To be honest: We were shocked about how easy it was to bend the device. And so were around 200.000 viewers who watched the video up until now. We can imagine that you and your colleagues must have been shocked, too. This might have been the reason why we got a call from one of your german colleagues the next morning. He was upset, and it was a rather short conversation. “From now on”, he said, “you won’t get any devices for testing purposes and you will not be invited to Apple events in the future.”
Dear Mr. Cook: Is this really how your company wants to deal with media that provide your customers with profound tests of your products? Do you really think that a withdrawal of Apple’s love and affection could have an intimidating effect on us? Luckily we do not have to rely on devices that Apple provides us with. Luckily, a lot of readers are willing to pay money for our magazine to keep us independent. So we are able to buy devices to do our tests anyway. Even devices of manufacturers that seem to fear COMPUTER BILD’s independent judgement.
Even if we are quite dismayed about Apple’s reaction, we won’t give up our principles: We will continue our incorruptible tests that have the same high reputation in the german media-landscape as Apple has for its products. So far. We congratulate you to your fine new generation of iPhones, even if one of them has a minor weakness with its casing. But we are deeply disappointed about the lack of respect of your company.
Best regards,
Axel Telzerow
Editor in Chief COMPUTER BILD-Group
MacDailyNews Take: Alternate headline: Purveyors of FUD get what they deserve.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Lynn Weiler” for the heads up.]
Related articles:
Consumer Reports stress test: Apple’s iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus not very bendable at all – September 26, 2014
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
I can not believe what I am reading here. I thought we were enthousiast, not slammers of doors or what have you not in front of anybody who will speak their mind!
This guy’s only complaint is that the country manager allegedly tried to intimidate him. How is that a good thing? So now we are resorting to the Samsung tactics? Pointing out the other’s flaws instead of our own strengths?
I have no comment on the stress-tests, perhaps they were done badly. So, Apple country manager, use that argument. Give them a new set of iPhone’s to do the test correctly.
Let’s see.
Apple launches the iPhone 6 Plus
Virtually at the same time a video and reports surface that the new iPhone is bending,
An observant individual notices that the time lines on the video indicate that the video might be suspect.
A couple of days later, Apple reports sales of more than 10 million iPhones, only 9 complaints of ‘bending’, and opens their ‘testing’ lab to the press.
Consumer Reports puts the iPhone and a few others through their Instron Test Machine at pressures that I would hesitate to put any part of my body under to see if it where bendable.
Now after all that, we have a ‘major’ computer mag decide for the sake of ‘journalism’ run tests that can only replicate the results of what under normal use could only be accomplished by sitting down with your iPhone in your back pocket.
And so for the sake of journalism, the FUD continues. Most people will remember the worst, even when it has proven to be the best. The Press precipitates it the most. And retracts it the least. And if it takes banishment to correct the ill-ways, so-be-it.
Now, I don’t know about you, but I hesitate to put anything in my pockets that would make me feel noticeably uncomfortable, i.e., that could deform a part of my body, my appearance, my clothing, or the item itself. Money, lots of it, might be the exception. It’s just common sense.
My complaint is not the chronological events as you write them. Neither do I balme Apple for making a thin phone. Nor do I fail to understand that a larger object has greater bending due to the larger distance from the center point from the edges. I agree that 9 out of 10.000.000 is a pretty good score. Rounding errors if you will. Neither do I consider the phone useless because you couldn’t carry it in a pocket. I do not use my 5S in my back pocket because it might bend, neither do I carry cones of ice cream in my front pockets.
My post was about how everyone reacted to the wrong item in the article, namely the fact that the Apple country manager in Germany appears to have lost his cool.
I too hate it when people compare apples and oranges, bending the iPhone at the aluminium back and trying to bend an Samsung at the glass is hardly a scientific approach.
When I hear complaint about Apple I agree with them, stating that they are probably much better of with a Samsung. It is all envy….
“…the Apple country manager in Germany appears to have lost his cool.”
You are probably right. And I don’t doubt that Apple corporate would agree with you as well.
But, there is a point. Draw a line in the sand, so to speak.
It reminds me of how Macworld dumped on Apple so much so, I contend it was one of the reasons Jobs pulled out of their annual Conference after 2008. Something that a lot of us commented on Macworld’s articles prior to the announcement.
In this case, there was no point by anyone to continue to such anecdotal testing and reporting it as news. What gets my ire, is every time such FUD appears, more people begin to believe it, take it out of context and create more lies. At least if you err in what you report, have the guts to put it in perspective, retract it or suffer the consequences.