Apple Allegedly Boycotts German Tech Site Over 'Bendgate' Video

By Niels Broekhuijsen
published

It seems that Apple is no longer sending press samples to a German tech publication.

Surely by now you've heard of Apple's iPhone 6 Plus Bendgate woes, as the company is getting pounded for building a phone that appears to bend under normal circumstances. The German computer site Computer Bild posted a video that seems to have raised Apple's ire so much that the company reportedly decided to stop sending the publication test samples and will no longer invite its editors to press events.

In the video, a presenter from Computer Bild bent an iPhone 6 Plus on-set with his bare hands. Arguably, intentionally bending a phone goes a bit far, but given the circumstances, we're all curious, and somebody has to figure out the truth – is this really a design flaw, or is it simply something that's been blown out of proportion? Mind you, Computer Bild claims that it bought the iPhone 6 Plus that it bent – the device was not a press sample.

Responding to the ban, Computer Bild wrote an open letter addressed to Tim Cook in which it explained that the iPhone 6 bend test was for informative purposes. Poking a little further, Computer Bild even asked Tim Cook whether this is really the best way to deal with critical independent press.

On the other side of the story, Consumer Reports tested how well the iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus and competing phones stand up to various forces and found that the smaller iPhone 6 is actually more susceptible to bending than the bigger iPhone 6 Plus. It even did better than some of the competing phones.

Unbox Therapy posted a similar video, although we haven't heard any similar response from Apple to them. If it's only Computer Bild that Apple has contacted in this way, we suspect that the company is trying to send out a warning shot -- unless the rep was merely a rogue actor that stepped out of line.

So, what are your thoughts? Do you think this is a problem that's been blown way out of proportion, or do you believe that it's genuinely something that Apple needs to address in a way that's different from "you're reviewing it wrong?"

Follow Niels Broekhuijsen @NBroekhuijsen. Follow us @tomshardware, on Facebook and on Google+.

Niels Broekhuijsen
Niels Broekhuijsen

Niels Broekhuijsen is a Contributing Writer for Tom's Hardware US. He reviews cases, water cooling and pc builds.

56 Comments Comment from the forums
  • turkey3_scratch
    No surprise, Apple really should have tested their phones better. Apple is boycotting this tech site because it shows proof?
    Reply
  • SirKnobsworth
    I'm having trouble finding any evidence that devices getting bent in normal usage is more than just a handful of users with unusually tight pants. I don't think tests like this are representative of the stresses that phones will get in normal usage but Apple's response doesn't seem appropriate either.
    Reply
  • turkey3_scratch
    14301892 said:
    I'm having trouble finding any evidence that devices getting bent in normal usage is more than just a handful of users with unusually tight pants. I don't think tests like this are representative of the stresses that phones will get in normal usage but Apple's response doesn't seem appropriate either.

    Agree, I think it is blown up a bit since this has not happened to may people, but the fact that Apple will not acknowledge these issues really makes me angry. If they would rightfully acknowledge these problems, developed a stronger 6+, and replaced anyone's iPhone who bent, than that would be a good honest company to stick with.
    Reply
  • bolweval
    I can bend any cell phone, I tried this with a couple iphone 3's i had laying around, and they bend too. I can't understand all this BS, its not a brick, it's an effin phone man.
    Reply
  • fleeb
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaQsXJ5NtnA
    Reply
  • tryingmybest
    Iphone 6 plus DOES bend near the buttons .

    Apple made a Mistake in Design . and all people who are ignoring this will regret it after 6 months of use , you will see .

    you CANT make the Phone that slim and keep the buttons the same side NEAR EACH OTHERS and made them longer buttons as well , which made the case VERY WEAK in that spot.

    and people who believe the Test Apple made , they applied the pressure on the middle of the phone not to the upper part where the weak spot is.

    here are the Mistakes :

    1- All the three buttons near each other in very slim case.
    2- made the buttons longer again because the case is slimmer and abandoned the circular buttons which made the weak spot weaker.

    the solution ?

    put all the buttons on the TOP , or change the material of the Body . go back to the GLASS design.
    Reply
  • shahrooz
    Lame move by Apple
    Reply
  • SkyBill40
    What I'm having trouble believing is that out of ALL of the phones they've sold since release that only 9 incidents were reported by Apple. Further, openly and rather defiantly stating the numbers are that low sure seems as though you're not telling the truth on the matter. Tim Cook, it's time to step up and admit that this is a bigger issue than you first thought.

    And to the point of people trying to purposely bend their phones or others buying $600 phones just to bend them is, in a word, stupid.

    Note 3 here... and ZERO bending concerns on my mind.
    Reply
  • everlast66
    That the guys that had their phones bent because of TIGHT JEANS should forget the phone and start worrying about much more serious stuff ... like the tight jeans they are wearing!!
    Reply
  • everlast66
    In another story a guy is complaining his iPhone was too easily shot through by a 50cal round :)

    http://i.ytimg.com/vi/c_gEiU_FDxQ/maxresdefault.jpg
    Reply