Some iPhone 6 owners have found that Apple’s latest and greatest phone comes with an unexpected (but patented!) new feature: flexibility. According to reports, the iPhone 6 is slightly bending beyond repair while in pockets. Some users say that the bending occurred after normal sitting, while other people have had more active lifestyles. Unfortunately, it does not appear that Apple will replace these more fragile-than-expected units at no cost. Some users are reporting that replacement costs are in the hundreds of dollars range. Additional bending pictures below:
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
Sucks to be them. I’ve worked on my car with my iPhone 6 in my pocket without any issues. It is thin though so I could see it happening under extreme pressure
Well, this sucks…
not exactly breaking news that thin malleable metal breaks when you apply pressure to it.
everything is breaking news where Mac blogs are concerned.
Not breaking news.
Bending news.
It hurts to pull your few days old expensive phone outta your pants and find it s bent
Don’t get me wrong, I am a totally Iphone user since Iphone 3 to Iphone 5 and obviously is kind of stupid to put your phone in the back pocket and sit on it, I just hope these events didn’t occur while having them in the front pocket.
I can easily see this happening in front pocket, especially the opening photo. Aluminum is relatively soft, coupled with curved size instead of stronger vertical edges and you have a recipe for a lot of curved phones. This won’t be the last time we hear of this – I’m sure the issue is going to be very widespread.
Unfotunately it is FRONT pocket. All photos are taken from here http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1785905 take a look. I should get a good case if i go with the plus
Yep this happened in the front pocket. I remember when the poser posted it on mac rumors.
Then this means that a hard case will be a must for this iphone.
Skinny tight jeans. You know.
It doesn’t matter if the big phone (any big phone, regardless of brand) is in a front pocket, or on a jacket side pocket, or in a shirt pocket — if you put enough pressure on it… IT’S GONNA BEND.
This “bendgate” thing is an issue only for trolls or those lacking common sense. Or both.
anything bends if you sit I guess. I guess I won;t be using my pockets :) But it’s a beauty as a Phone!
My first concern with buying the plus before hearing this was bending. It’s only common sense that something really thin made of metal would bend. People just have to have common sense.
Common Sense is in short supply today. How soon until a class action suit is filed by some group of people who refuse to take responsibility for their actions? And, when will the trolls pick up on this one?
As for me – I’ve always used a Seidio Belt Clip and case; I’m too old and too fat to even think about sticking a phone in my pocket.
I believe some people try to create issues where there are none. why would I sit on my iPhone? this does not make sense sense to me.
The 6 Plus will be more prone to this than the 6 due to the tighter pocket fit
Guess they must have seen the posts of people bending their iPhone 5 and 5s. Yes you are heavy folks and thin metal bends.
I mean use common sense in handling and pocketing them. Without ever handling one, you could clearly see you would need to be careful. Same with the rounded glass screen that looks itching be be cracked. I willost definitely without a doubt use a case and be extremely careful with it.
” Yes you are heavy folks and thin metal bends.”
Maybe you should send that info to Apple. They seem to have forgotten that nugget of wisdom after making the iPhone 4…
I mean.. don’t sit on your phone.. it is thin and metal. I keep mine in my back pocket as well but am very careful NOT to sit on it in any kind of situation.
Not gonna lie… this has me worried. I feel like some of those are from back pockets which makes sense that it would bend (thought I surprised it didn’t crack!) but I always keep my phone in my front pants pocket, and it’s not bad now but when I start wearing jeans I could see this happening. I don’t wear skin tight jeans but they are fitted (and I have meaty thighs) so there’s not gonna be much wiggle room for the phone :/
Do not put your phone into your back pocket! If this is the case, are you normal? I have never done so even with the dumb phones. It’s so much pressure on the device you can easily scratch it, break it, bend it…
Front pocket.
So if the phone is in the front pocket sitting on your thigh, how in the hell does it get bent when there’s no bend on top of the thigh? And if the phone maybe rides up the jeans pocket to where you’re leg creases and you STILL manage to bend the phone, that’s on you for not placing the phone in a safe area…and you’re an idiot for bending down so hard and taking the PAIN a metal phone would make as it is allegedly bending. I’m sure these phones don’t bend under minimal force.
I call bullshit on this. These people had their phones in their back pocket and sat on them and now they’re looking for attention. You can see how the crease is in the back of the phone indicating forced pressure on the phone up until that area…kind of like what would happen if you SAT on your phone. Just because they “say” they were in their front pockets doesn’t mean they WERE in the front pockets. They fucked up their brand new iPhone…of COURSE they’re going to want to be the victim to get their fuckup replaced for free.
Here’s a tip…TAKE CARE OF YOUR $700 PHONE.
While I have yet to do this with an iPhone 6 Plus (mine arrives on Thursday), smaller iPhones are totally fine in my back pocket. The phone shifts to the side (I don’t have a big buttom). My guess is that I won’t be able to do this with the 6 Plus though.
Lots of girls do it because their front pockets are really shallow.
Lots of my female friends don’t bring bags / purses out when they go drinking in the city and they always toss their phones in their back pockets because its the only place it fits well.
Putting it in your front pocket exposes your testicals to microwave radiation. It’s low levels, but to leave a phone there every day for decades could be a risk for testicular cancer.
Personally I’d rather have a thicker heavier phone that can go in any pocket.
Sit on your glasses and see what happen?
Come on!!! of course it will bend if you sit in it………
You know these people are stating that the phone bent from having it in the front pocket, right?
I believe those are very tight jeans.
they’re wearing jeans so tight that any males among them should probably be worrying about cutting off the blood flow to their meat and two veg.
I have had my iPhone 6 plus for several days now. It is in my front pocket or back pocket of my jeans during classes at school. 4-6 hours at a time. Sometimes I have a case on it, and sometimes I don’t. It is not bent nor does feel like I am putting any pressure on it when sitting. These people must be wearing some serious emo skinny jeans.
Not a god idea to have it in your back pocket. Really bad for your long term posture. You’ll be walking like an old man at a very young age if you keep that up. Same goes for the wallet.
The overweight problems goes longer than just messing with health related problems ;)
don’t want your phone to bend? use the health app to lose weight ;P
Did they tried to get it out of the pocket before sitting? i guess not… and some maybe got it on the BACK pocket…
No this is definitely because they had it in their back pocket and sat on it. Stupid. It’s a bigger and thinner phone, even if your older iPhone didn’t bend, this one is guaranteed to. If they made it thicker and heavier, people would complain about that and say Apple’s lost its design edge. It’s no win when you’re dealing with morons.
Common sense folks. Put this in your back pocket and that pocket is tight. Then you sit on it. What do you expect? This is a phone and it is not made for extreme pressures just like any phone. Treat it with care and it will last. Beat on it and you will break it. It’s that simple. Accidental damage has never been covered under warranty by anyone. Smash your car. Take it to your dealer for warranty service? Nope!
As common as this usage is, I wonder if there wouldn’t be an arguable claim under an implied warranty of fitness for purpose.
People are babies, pure and simple. They never want to accept the blame for anything, it’s always someone else’s fault. I’ve never ever put any phone, even the small iPhone’s of yore in my back pocket. It’s the dumbest place for an expensive anything. You’ll forget and sit on it. It’s also the best place to be pick-pocketed out of. Dumb dumb dumb.
Common sense? You lack from it. Phone is getting bent in the FRONT POCKET.
The problem is not with the phone. It is with the pockets. Large smart phones have been around long enough now that fashion designers need to start including pockets for them in our clothing. My Levis still have a special pocket for a pocket watch. How about one for an iPhone?
Perhaps Apple will come out with an (Apple)PocketWatch for those of you who actually USE that pocket.
That is actually a coin pocket, not for a pocket watch.
Ouch! Protect that baby, take it out of your pocket when you sit.
Took my iphone 6 out of the box and put right in a case. So not an issue. Id never use an iphone w/o a case. Otterbox is coming today
Does a case add torsional rigidity to a phone? All the cases I’ve used have been designed to protect the phone from nicks and scratches, and to damp the shock of dropping it. I’ve never used an Otterbox so maybe that’s a different design?
First, I want to thank Mark and 9 to 5 Mac for getting this out to the public, I will be more careful and be sure to pass this on to all of my family and friends.
I have a pair of motorcycle pants with deep but extremely tight pockets (to prevent things from falling out while riding). I’ve done some near acrobatic level moves with my phone in pocket without issue any bending issues. There is a silicone case on my 6 which may help.
However a lot of the slim fit jeans out nowadays come with really short pockets, if the phone is sticking up or near the top of the pocket and you bend at the torso it doesn’t take a genius to figure out it will bend. Now when buying jeans I always looks for the ones with deep pockets.
Something also to be careful would be having someone sit on your lap not knowing the phone is in your pocket. If you put this same level of pressure on a plastic phone *samsung, cough* the screen would definitely break.
The repair segment for bent iphones just expanded rapidly thanks to this article and being a tech maniac I would like to post a quick guide for all those poor souls who have bent their 6’s. If you simply cannot live with a bent iphone try this:
You will need:
A blow dryer or heat gun
An infrared temperature gauge (get from local hardware store)
leather gloves (please wear to not burn hands for duration of guide)
Patience (move extremely calculated and slow to prevent cracking screen)
-power down your precious iphone 6/6+
-heat the bend with the blow dryer/heat gun and closely monitor the temperature with the temp gauge.
-I would not let the heated area exceed 35-40C/95-105F (think body temperature here folks)
-See if the aluminum has become more malleable at this temp by gently bending the phone but don’t attempt to bend it back right away.
-Let iphone 6 cool off and then heat up to above temp again, see if it will bend a little more.
-If you are unsuccessful and cannot live with the bend try heating a little warmer but no more than 5-10 degrees F.
Please post your outcomes.
Good luck!!!!
Better buy Xperia Z3.
5.2 ” But almost 2 centimeters less long…..
Similar for compact Xperia Z3. 1 centimeter less than the iPhone 6
dont put it in the back pocket – common sense is being lost.
Common sense is being lost indeed, and reading as well. Phone is getting bent in the FRONT POCKET.
It’s aluminum and it is thin, what the hell anyone expected? Same issues were found in iPad air.
Is it me or does it look like the display in the picture is about to peel off.
Sorry but this is just not good enough. I have my 5s in my back pocket all the time, no case and I am not light. It has never bent! This could easily have happened to me based upon experience with a previous model. Is this a build quality issue? We don’t know yet but I suspect bendgate will be trending soon. Terrible publicity!
I have never owned an android phone (plastic or metal). Is this an issue with existing phablets I wonder?
It’s not a build quality issue lol, it’s called physics and material science.
When phone get thinner and longer, phone bend more easy. Must not put in back pocket, stupid place. iPhone 5S shorter and thicker. Mmm’K?
I don’t think it’s an issue with other big phones mostly because the plastic ones just flex and go back to their original shape, and the metal ones have been thicker than the iphones so they have more structural integrity.
I’m still excited about my iphone 6 plus coming in, but i definitly will be more careful with it than I was with my current Nexus 5 or my iphone 5.
Um, you do realize this is because the phone is longer in every dimension right? Making the phone fit tighter in smaller pockets, thus putting pressure on the phone when someone bends or sits a certain way that creates pressure on the phone.
Its a lot easier to bend a sheet than it is a brick. Has nothing to do with build quality. Common sense people. Android phones are mostly plastic, so if you bend plastic it will just crack if the force is hard enough. Metal on the other hand bends. You have a phone that is longer in every dimension. Its not going to fit in your pockets the same way the 5s did. Just use some freaking common sense to determine “Gee, I can feel my phone getting pressured in my pocket from my position, I better take it out.” Don’t get a massive 6 Plus and expect the thing to fit in small pockets, you’ll either need deep baggy pockets or need to carry it in a bag.
Now can you blame Apple for resisting massive phones for this long? Humongous is just not an ideal form factor for a handheld portable. People are clearly too oblivious to feel their own massive phone getting pressed against their torso inside their pocket.
First, a bigger phone. Now, you can not take it in your pockets… Steve, where are you, they forgot everything….
Here we go again, every single time a new iPhone comes out. Give me a freakin break.
Right, and we almost never see anything of the sort regarding Android / Samsung phones. This is just more FUD for the masses.
Haha, exactly… it’s what gets the clicks. It’s the downside of being the biggest.
“BendGate 2014 – Revenge of the Back Pocket”
At first I thought the title said “Will it blend? and thought it was one of those stupid BlendTec videos or however it’s spelled.
Stupid videos? Get a life! (Oh BTW, they did BLEND the iPhone 6 :D)
just use your front pocket, side pocket if you have one and problem solved.
It’s Apple’s way of punishing hipsters with those damn skinny jeans. ;-)
I’ve ALWAYS cringed at people putting their phones (any phone) in their BACK jeans pocket. That is the dumbest place for your $700 pocket computer. These bent iPhones are no doubt a result of back pocket placement and sitting. Apple should not have to pay for stupid user error.
Even if a phone is in a *front* pocket — and the pocket is shallow or the pants are even remotely snug — the phone is going to get crunched between the bottom of the pocket and the person’s hip.
These “problems” are *easily* avoided with COMMON SENSE, which these people with bent phones seem to lack.
those pictures are painful to see… common sense people. if something is elongated and thin while made up of multiple layers… don’t put your whole weight on it. not to rub salt on the wound… but how much does these people weight? i’m pretty slim and even i already know not to do that
I’ve seen a number of videos that make me question the build quality of the iphone 6. the front glass seems to break very easily and now it bends with some extreme pressure. with a bigger phone taking up more space in your pocket it’s much harder not to put pressure on it while moving around. so this is a really problem.
this is just one more reason to put a hard case on it.
Never ever put your devices in your back pocket. Look what happens to your wallet back there. I broke my first plastic cell phone — We’re talking cell cell phone and 1995 or 96 here — by sitting on it in my back pocket. Lesson learned. Front pocket, shirt pocket, jacket pocket. Just don’t sit on it. For cryin’ out loud what are you thinking? Especially as they get bigger and thinner. Seriously.
I smell a Class Action Lawsuit.
I’ve sat on my iPhone and slept on it more times than I can count. Never ever a problem with the 4S and 5S phone. Not sure I want an iPhone 6 now. In addition to worrying about cracking the glass, we now have to worry about bending the phone as it gets thinner, lighter and more fragile with every new iteration. Bring back the sturdy and compact design of the iPhone 4 or 5.
class action lawsuit prediction coming from greedy damn lawyers and lazy users…
Can’t wait to see samsung’s ad
You Appleheads are such suckers! Get yourself a Nokia Lumia 1520 or even a 1320 and kiss your Apple blues away.
You’re holding it wrong! Steve you were unique!!!
Competitors like Samsung and Google must be really desperate nowadays to spread these silly pictures on forums… So they are buying iPhone 6 and 6 Plus then destroying them and claiming that they are easy to crack ? And warning people that the new iPhone would easily bend if you sit on them ? Seriously ?
Only an idiot would sit on a smartphone. Any smartphone would crack under the weight !
Again something very disappointing from Apple, well here all the images of bent iPhone that were reported earlier
http://uneedtech.com/2014/09/23/iphone-6-plus-bending-issues-reported/
That’s why I won’t buy an aluminum phone. My Android water resistant plastic fantastics have never suffered any damage from droppage, spillage or sittage.
we’ve all heard of the term “protect your investment”, right? iphone is not a cheap device. i just don’t understand, why can’t people take extra care?
how about asking apple to make the case out of titanium? anyone welling to spend $1500 on an iphone?
Yet another example of Apple “going thin” at the expense of consumers. The lightning port replaced the 30 pin connector so they could go thinner. Now we’ve compromised structural integrity for the sake of going thinner. Honestly, did anyone need anything thinner than the iPhone 4? Is the bullet point that important?
Will it B(L)end?
Those images are iphone 6 plus not iphone 6. Can someone confirm if iphone 6 has the same issue?
I would have thought that the big brains at Apple would have thought about this and added some type of strengthening pins or support along the sides to avoid this. I chalk this instance up to user error but still, Apple should know that people are stupid lol go check out Unbox Therapy on youtube, he shows how easy it it to bend a 6 Plus with just some pressure from your hands.
Apple are about cosmetic design, they often overlook mechanical design. They don’t want anything to compromise the shiny.
In the UK at least, you might have a bit of backup from the consumer protection laws… Sales of good act, namely the clause that an item must be fit for the purpose intended.
A mobile phone that has to be kept in an armoured case, when generally a mobile phone can be kept in a trouser pocket, could easily been seen as unfit for purpose.
Accept that these people bought a HUGE phone. If you try to put something in your pocket that just won’t fit and it bends well… you only have yourself to blame for that.
Well people expect a device this thin not to bend? Its like the drop test, they expect not to break? What do they want a stainless steel rod as an iPhone? Come on!!
Is this an issue with the iPhone 6 or just the iPhone 6 Plus?
CASE IT.
This may finally spell the end of skinny jeans…..we can only hope.
Basically, what we have here is people wanted an iPhone 6 scandal so they started trying to snap their phones in half. LMAO!!!!
I am going to practice by putting a butter knife in my front pocket and when I am sure it won’t bend, graduate to the phone.
No that wasn’t real.
Case it is, then.
How could anyone make excuses for this? Just because it is thin doesn’t mean it can’t be rigid, it probably should have been anodized more. Or maybe Apple should have just sacrificed another millimeter to make it stronger, either way. This is a huge design flaw, I’ve never seen a flagship phone with such a flimsy chassis before.
I think we are looking at a class action lawsuit.. Apple should have tested the phone.. I see Apple stocks falling soon!
HOW FUCKING DUMB ARE YOU? Oh never mind i know, your like rain man with out the toothpicks and card counting.
Blame everyone but Apple for making a phone without proper QA
But will is blend? Now that is the question! https://www.facebook.com/MacTipsNZ/posts/454123064727368
Ah – but will it BLEND ?
It does indeed blend, there’s a video on the Will It Blend Facebook page :D
All I have to say is that they cannot find anything negative to say and now starting to talk about how easy it can bent if you sit on…hang on…does anyone else thinks the same I do? Bottom line..the iPhone rocks and will always will no matter what the rest of the ‘plastic world’ says! :)
The 6 Plus is one BADASS PHONE. Definitely the best phone I’ve ever used. The screen is gorgeous, battery life is insane, it’s (as Jony Ive would say) unapologetically thin, and iOS 8 was a hell of an upgrade. Lots of great feature. Samsung is shaking in their shoes over this phone. They even moved up their Note 4 launch because these things are selling like hot cakes. I wouldn’t doubt it if Samsung planted this story into the press.
Exactly and if Bendgate is such a massive scandal I’m certain someone would have already posted results from the guide I have written above. Something is fishy…
Just another reason to start carrying a man-purse!
Anyone can be careless for a short period of time. I see cell phones in back pockets all the time and unfortunately, that’s all it takes to bend the plus. That’s what Apple gets for trying to be ‘me too’, instead of innovating, like during the Jobs years.
You are an idiot. It’s not the phone, it’s the stupid people. Everyone want’s everything smaller, faster, and thinner now but, they are not smart enough to realize that if you put it in your back pocket (which is fucking stupid to begin with) and your fat ass sits on it, it is going to get damaged. Actually apple thought ahead and knew that people are stupid and would do such a thing so they gave it some give. Rather than shattering in their ass and causing a lawsuit for glass up their shitter, it bends and you stupid fucks think there is something wrong. The only thing wrong is you. WOW, I am appalled at the lack of intelligence nowadays.
Not sure why some of the testing sites haven’t provided information of this issue. They drop the phones to test durability, surely they can conduct a simple stress test…
What is the weight of these people that are bending their phones?
hi every body in my experience of having iPhones since they came out,,,and by seeing the pictures off the bending iPhone ,,,its really laughable for any body to believe that iPhone 6 was bend cause it was in back or front pocket,,there has been quiet a force to bend iPhone 6 or 6plus in ur pocket in my opinion its been bent by using physically ur hands to do that bend,,,,do u think we r going to believe that,,,,,that is samsung with their cheap hardware on their devices plastic world syndrome
So every fat ass lazy fuck in america is sitting on their iPhone and it’s bending? What’s the problem here, sure as hell not apple.
shameless
Guess what? The screen will shatter if you drop it, too. Get a hard case.
You are holding it wrong …
How tight are those Jeans your wearing? If your phone is under that much pressure you might want to take better care of that phone that costs as much as a lap top.
May I suggest getting a cart for the phone and lay it on a pillow so as not to transmit any shock to it, that will be the next problem. make sure you retrofit the cart with a lockable shatterproof window so as to prevent it from being stolen while displaying the phone for all to see your new acquisition. That would be way more impressive than having a bent phone. Money should be no object because as my father taught me…HAVE more BRAINS than MONEY!