iPhone 6 Plus Bendgate Timeline

Posted in News by Vlad on September 28, 2014

iphone 6 plus bendgate

iPhone 6 Plus Bendgate. (Image credits: 9gag.com)

Apple seemed to have hit another jackpot after the sale of over 10 million iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus devices in only three days. However, the past week was horrific for the Cupertino manufcaturer. Two major blows dropped their shares by 3% within 24 hours and the fiasco seems to be far from over.

I’m talking about the disastrous iOS 8.0.1 update fail and the iPhone 6 Plus Bendgate mania. The first issue caused dropped calls, poor cellular signal and touch ID problems and had to be pulled out by Apple, only hours after its September 24 release. Two days later, the iOS 8.0.2 was rolled out to solve the issues created by the 8.0.1 ail. The blow was accentuated by Apple’s unusual apologies:

We apologize for inconveniencing the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus users who were impacted by the bug in iOS 8.0.1.

iPhone 6 Plus Bendgate Timeline
The bad news for Apple is that the 2nd blow received this week, questions a manufacturing flaw of the iPhone 6 Plus and it’s not something that can be fixed via a software update. Let’s take a look at how the Bendgate scandal unfolded and draw some conclusions!
bent iphone 6 plus

  • September 22: only 3 days after the iPhone 6 Plus and iPhone 6 devices become available in the US Apple stores. A number of unlucky iPhone customers complain on the social media channels that their 6 Plus version of Apple’s flagship has bent during normal usage. The first articles covering the subject heat-up the web. Nearby you can check one of the first photos of a bent iPhone 6 plus surfacing the web, along with the comment posted on MacRumors by user DevinPitcher. He confirms that one of his friend placed the iDevices in his front pants pocket and observed the bend after getting in his car.
  • iphone 6 plus bending videoSeptember 23: the snowball is rolling and complaints start gathering under the Twitter #BendGate hashtag. Unbox Therapy upload a video showing how easy the iPhone 6 Plus is bent in the landscape mode hold. The video is shared online and reaches main stream media. The vitality brings it close to 45 million views in 5 days. Gossip and pranks about the embarrassing iPhone 6 Plus flaw become instantly viral. More pictures surface:

  • bent iphone 6 plus satireSeptember 24: CNN spread the news about the fragile iPhone 6 Plus aluminum enclosure. We cover the subject and provide the first tips to avoid iPhone 6 Plus bending. Competitors and Android users start mocking Apple:

  • iphone 6 plus professional bend testSeptember 25: Apple react and present a video of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus stress test, claiming that there is no reason to consider their latest flagship is fragile! More, MacRumors claim that the Unbox Therapy iPhone 6 bend test could be fake, because clock display proves that video was cut and edited. uBreakiFixCo come up with a professional stress test that clearly shows how the iPhone 6 Plus withstands 100 pounds of force and bends even less as the Samsung Galaxy Note 3.
  • sealed iphone 6 plus bend testSeptember 26: Unbox Therapy come up with a second uncut video, trashing another iPhone 6 Plus, this time in public, in Toronto, with witnesses in order to confirm the design weak-spot of Apple’s flagship.
    Bendgate brings down Apples Stocks by over 3% ($3.89) in only 24 hours, between Wednesday September 24, 4pm and Thursday September 24, 4pm.
  • apple support handling bendgateSeptember 27: iPhone 6 Plus users hit by bendgate are asked by Apple to visit a retail store and get their bends assessed by a specialist, before they qualify for a replacement.

    • iPhone 6 Plus Bendgate Conclusion
    Whether Apple like it or not it seems that there is a weak-spot in the iPhone 6 Plus enclosure, located around the volume buttons. It’s also true that under normal stress forces the flagship should resist. However, we strongly recommend you to check the following tips to stay safe of those nasty bends!

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