But they say the case might be even worse for the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge.
It wasn’t too long ago when Apple found itself bombarded with controversies after iPhone 6 users found themselves complaining that their newly acquired phones were easily bent.
Not long after the then-newly-launched iPhone 6 handsets were acquired by the eager consumers, the iPhone 6 users who expected their new phones to be just as sturdy as the previous iPhones were in for a surprise after some of them found their new handsets bent easily even when they were sitting silently inside their owners’ pockets.
A few months later, it was also found that it wasn’t just the iPhone 6 that so easily bent under pressure, it appeared that the case was the same for other Apple devices that were made thinner and lighter by the company in an effort for the devices to bring more comfort to their owners. This included Apple’s iPad Air, which was the thinnest tablet that the company has came up with so far.
It appears that when these devices are placed under a certain pressure, they tend to bend very easily.
Although that ‘slight’ setback wasn’t enough to bring Apple’s best-selling gadgets down, it looks like theses iOS devices will be living with its #bendgate shadow for a very long time.
And it appears that so will Samsung, now that it has been found that the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge bends just as easily— and with potentially even worse results.
An electronic insurance company called SquareTrade came up with their very own “bend bot” specifically designed to put the latest mobile phones on a pressure test. A video recently released by the company showed the “bend bot” putting the iPhone 6 Plus, the HTC One M9, and yes, the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge under a rigorous pressure test wherein the bot applies pressure in the center of the mobile phones until the gadgets bend— to show just how long the mobile phones could last when put under pressure.
And this is what happened.
At 110 lbs. of pressure, the iPhone 6 Plus bent, and at 179 lbs., it broke completely.
Photo from SquareTrade
The HTC One M9 said goodbye at 120 lbs., where it bent and broke at the same time, since the power button was located at the center of the phone; obviously, without the power button, the phone won’t work at all.
Photo from SquareTrade
The Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge bent at 110 lbs., the same as the iPhone 6 Plus, but its screen has already cracked at that point. Although it was still completely functional even with a cracked screen, the device completely broke at 149 lbs., and its screen glass— completely shattered.
Photo from SquareTrade
Photo from SquareTrade
See the video for yourself:
So it seems that Apple comes out on top again. However, I don’t think a little bending is going to do much damage. It seems that perhaps people are making a mountain out of a molehill. I would take the iphone even if it was a little bent.
I think that these cases are all pretty normal and not a thing to be concerned with. Thinner phones are being made more and more and of course they will bend. Bend tests are kinda inaccurate since they apply more force than a normal pocket will. People claim that they had it normally in their pockets, but it needs a lot of force to bend the phones. Of course if you wear the skinniest jeans you can and then start applying pressure to the pocket the phone will bend. A bigger phone results in more leverage and adds to the problem.
In other words, if you sit on a thin phone it bends. Big deal, it should have been common sense in the first place, but most people think that companies like Apple are immune to the laws of physics. Of course there is a propensity to bend if you made the phone thin enough, stripped enough parts, and framed it with thin aluminum. There is no ‘bendgate’ here, just a complete lack of understanding of physics.
Perhaps bending is a good thing, and the companies should work toward making phones that bend more, not less, but aren’t affected by the bending. I sit on my iPod Touch all the time, forgetting I’ve stuck it in my back pocket, before getting into the car. Thankfully, it’s built like a tank, and can survive, but why not work on making phones and other devices so they can sustain falls and other accidents by purposely making them bendy? I’m sure something could be done with the screens, so they wouldn’t break.