Skip to main content

There will be no Apple Pencil bendgate: you really have to try hard to break one [Video]

pencil-stress-test

The Apple Pencil may be a very clever piece of technology, but one thing a number of people have been wondering is how vulnerable it might be when charging. At first glance, having it sticking out of the iPad Pro like that doesn’t seem the smartest of ideas.

But it appears Apple has thought it through, and there’s a hinge mechanism inside the connector designed to take the strain if the Pencil is knocked.

Video blogger Zach Straley did his best to break it, and while he did eventually succeed, he had to work very hard to do so. Check out the video below. Try not to curse him too much if you’re still waiting for yours to arrive …

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uE9hHO4hM0c]

Both Tim Cook and Jony Ive have been arguing that the Pencil is much more than a stylus, even if the rest of us may have to wait a while to find out. Check out our unboxing in the meantime.

Via CoM

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

You’re reading 9to5Mac — experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Don’t know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Comments

  1. mikhailt - 8 years ago

    You are more likely to break your iPad than this Pencil by causing it to fall off the tablet.

    • Robo.Term - 8 years ago

      it doesn’t fall off the tablet because its ballanced in a way that it doesnt roll and the word ‘Pencil’ is always upside and readble.
      those are the details i love at apple.

      • Rich Davis (@RichDavis9) - 8 years ago

        I personally think Apple should have done the following with the Pencil.

        1. Had a programmable button, most high end products like this do.
        2. The flip side was an eraser.
        3. Have it magnetically attach to the iPad and charge that way, rather than the Lightning connector. The cover magnetically attaches and Apple has the MagSafe technology for charging laptops. It would just make sense they would have done it that way.

        Other than that, I I think they nailed it in terms of latency, angle and feel.

      • mikhailt - 8 years ago

        I was talking about the iPad falling off the table if you have the pencil attached to the iPad’s port that is on the edge and you walk into the pencil, turning the iPad around and dropping it. That is far more likely to happen than you breaking the connector of the pencil or the port of the iPad.

  2. PhilBoogie - 8 years ago

    Mr. Zack Straley, the most important thing in video is audio. Please remember that for your next video, I may view it to the end.

  3. Ugh! I didn’t enjoy watching that. Seems like he likely damaging the lightning port on the iPad Pro in the process. Is this actually helpful? Seems like it held up about like I would have expected.

  4. rogifan - 8 years ago

    The pencil comes with a charging adapter so clearly charging directly from iPad is meant for when you need a quick top off not for longer charging times.

  5. The guy in the video is a total ….

  6. Rich Davis (@RichDavis9) - 8 years ago

    Doesn’t Samsung now have a warning on their Note for their pens because if you insert it wrong inside the unit that it can damage the product?

  7. macnificentseven48 - 8 years ago

    Who says it won’t bend? Maybe I couldn’t bend it with my fingers, but I put it in a vise and hit it with a sledgehammer. It made a 90 degree bend. I think I’ll file a class-action suit. So what if it still worked. After spending my hard-earned $99, it should be indestructible. It would be if Steve Jobs were still CEO. We need to find a way to get Steve back or Apple is doomed. Grrrrrrrr.

    /s

  8. Sebastian - 8 years ago

    This is so stupid..

  9. Kent Wallace - 8 years ago

    The pencil is awesome. But…mine actually did fall on the floor[just the pencil] and the tip broke off. When I looked closer the tip actually was broken in two. Problem was I couldn’t put the new tip on because of broken piece still screwed on and not accessible at all. After about 1 hour using tweezers I got it off and put new tip on. It hasn’t worked since and I’ve tried everything, believe me. I think I damaged it getting the broke piece off. Just letting folks know. I’m contacting Apple to see if they will replace it. Thanks

Author

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Ben Lovejoy

Ben Lovejoy is a British technology writer and EU Editor for 9to5Mac. He’s known for his op-eds and diary pieces, exploring his experience of Apple products over time, for a more rounded review. He also writes fiction, with two technothriller novels, a couple of SF shorts and a rom-com!


Ben Lovejoy's favorite gear