When Apple launched the iPhone 6 several years ago, it was met with overwhelming controversy over pervasive bending issues, even earning the nickname "bendgate" in the midst of the ordeal. Now, history might be repeating itself.
According to some customers, some 2018 iPad Pros are shipping with bending issues as well. This isn't mere speculation, either — Apple has confirmed that some units do indeed feature a slight bend in the aluminum chassis.
It's not a big deal, though, at least according to the Cupertino brand. It claims the bend is a mere side effect of the device's manufacturing process and won't affect the iPad Pro's performance in any practical way. It also claims the bend won't worsen over time. In other words, Apple doesn't see it as a defect.
iPad Pro Bendgate
Apple further explains that the bend is the result of a cooling process involving the metal and plastic components of the iPad Pro during manufacturing. Both of iPad Pro's size options are prone to catching the "side effect" since they undergo the same manufacturing process.
Apple's response comes after customers took to social media and the MacRumors forums to report about bent iPad Pros. A great number of these complaints claim that they've never put their device under much stress or abuse, which leads them to believe the iPad Pro's casing gradually bends over the course of normal everyday use. However, some posters claim their iPad came bent out of the box.
Apple Confirms iPad Pro Bendgate
Apple is essentially confirming that bent iPad Pros are indeed real, but notes that it's nothing to worry about. The Verge's Chris Welch reports that his iPad too showed a slight bend just after two weeks of use. He returned it to Apple and received a replacement unit, but that unit also exhibited a slight bend in the aluminum case as soon as he took it out of the box.
The bending issues seems to be more pervasive on the LTE model, according to reports. Speculation suggests that the plastic strip that breaks off the flat aluminum sides is what's causing the problem. That being said, there are some owners of the Wi-Fi model who claim to have the problem too.
As of this time, there are no reports of performance issues caused by the bending, nor are there any complaints about further physical degradation or damage as a result of the bending. It seems to be purely a cosmetic slip-up, which might not be a big deal in and of itself, but this is Apple, a company infamous for being bullish on design.
Make sure to check back with Tech Times as we learn more.
