How Apple Reportedly Plans To Solve 'Bendgate' Problems In Future iPhones - Forbes

In September 2014, Apple started selling the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus. Shortly after the devices were released, several iPhone 6 Plus owners revealed that their devices bent after being placed in the pockets of tight pants. The iPhone 6 smartphones are built with a unibody enclosure constructed from machining 6000 series anodized aluminum with stainless steel and titanium inserts to reinforce its high-stress locations. Apple said that the bends in the iPhone 6 Plus smartphones are extremely rare, but there are rumors that the next-generation of iPhones will use stronger materials to prevent another “Bendgate” from happening.

With dimensions of 6.22-inches by 3.06-inches, the iPhone 6 Plus appears to bend at 110 pounds of pressure. Unbox Therapy, an online program that focuses on product-based coverage, posted a video called the “iPhone 6 Plus Bend Test” that went viral and currently has over 65 million views. Several months later, it was revealed that the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge also bends at 110 pounds of pressure.

According to Taiwan-based Economic Daily News, the successor to the iPhone 6 Plus (code-named iPhone 6S Plus) will be using the same 7000 series aluminum as the Sport edition of the Apple Watch. If 7000 series aluminum is used in the iPhone 6S Plus, it will become 60% harder. The 7000 series aluminum is the same material used in competition bicycles, according to CultOfMac.com. Apple altered the material to make it lighter and durable with one-third the density of stainless steel. The Economic Daily News has correctly predicted several rumors in the past, but we will not know if this rumor is true until September.

Apple has been very consistent when it comes to integrating features across its product portfolio. Retina Display — which was introduced by Steve Jobs during the iPhone 4 announcement in 2010 — is now built into iPhones, iPads, iPods, MacBooks and iMacs. The Touch ID fingerprint sensor is now available on newer iPhone and iPad models. And the haptic ffeedback Force Touch feature introduced in the Apple Watch is now built into the trackpad of the new 12-inch MacBook. This is why it seems plausible that Apple will build iPhones with materials that are similar to the Apple Watch.

Bendgate Example / Credit: Unboxed Therapy

Bendgate Example / Credit: Unbox Therapy

The aluminum used in the Apple Watch is buffed and polished. Then it is textured with microscopic zirconia beads. Anodizing the watch creates a hard outer layer to protect it from dings and scratches. “We believe this aluminum alloy sets a new standard both in the way it performs and the way it looks,” said Apple’s Senior Vice President of Design Jony Ive in the video below:

The “iPhone 6S” and “iPhone 6S Plus” is expected to be announced in September 2015. I am guessing that those devices will have A9 chips and the Force Touch feature. There is also a rumor that Apple will offer a 4-inch option of the next-generation iPhone called the iPhone 6C aside from the 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch versions.

What are your thoughts about the “Bendgate” issue? Let us know in the comments section!



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