New Delhi: Apple has sold millions of new iPhone 6 and 6 Plus phones this week, but a handful of users have started complaining that their device is bending without even exerting a lot of pressure.
A user posted a photo and note to the popular Apple-focused MacRumors website, describing what happened after a long day with his new phone in the pocket of his trousers. He witnessed a slight bend in his iPhone 6 when he kept the device in his front pocket for about 18 hours.
The problem, dubbed 'bend gate' by some on social media sites, is largely because of the use of aluminum shells for lightness – but can be solved by ensuring the middle of the phone is not subjected to a large force.
Similarly, Macbidouille.com reported on one user whose iPhone 6 suffered the same fate after being in the pocket of his jeans.
Likewise, Lewis of Unbox Therapy put the iPhone 6 Plus through a bend test. In that video, Lewis is shown using his hands for exerting pressure on the iPhone 6 Plus from the rear panel and during the course of the test, a bend is seen just below the volume rocker. Surprisingly, after completing the test, the handset was working fine. Lewis informed 9to5mac that the display cracked when he attempted to bend the body back into shape.
Though aluminum, used in the chassis of the iPhone 6, is strong, but it is also malleable, which makes it susceptible to deformation under compression.
On Twitter, it's being called #BendGate and #Bendghazi.
Taking a dig at Apple's new devices' a tweet from LG Deutschland, showing the company's curved G Flex handset, said: “It wouldn't have happened with the LG G Flex.”
On the same note, some iPhone and iPad users have taken to Twitter and Apple forums to complain that their phones have been experiencing sluggish Wi-Fi and dwindling battery life, post iOS 8 update.
In a statement, Apple said: "We have received reports of an issue with the iOS 8.0.1 update. We are actively investigating these reports and will provide information as quickly as we can. In the meantime we have pulled back the iOS 8.0.1 update."
Apple's newly launched iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus handsets have set new sales records as the company reported it has sold more than 10 million new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus devices in just three days since launch. That's 1 million more than the combined 9 million sales of the iPhone 5C and 5S last year, despite the new devices not being on sale in China yet.
