It seems that Apple has a new Bendgate controversy in its hand. Apple’s new iPad Pro, launched in October last year, is a technological achievement made up of glass and metal that is incredibly thin. However, the slim form factor is one reason that is of concern.
Pranav Hegde
The world’s first trillion dollar company, Apple has been in the news for many reasons. For Apple, declining sales, cancellation of orders, etc. should be the concerns. But if you are an iPad buyer or you bought the 2018 iPad Pro, you need to be careful.
It seems that Apple has a new "Bendgate" controversy in its hand. Apple’s new iPad Pro, launched in October last year, is a technological achievement made up of glass and metal that is incredibly thin. However, the slim form factor is one reason that is of concern.
YouTuber Zack on his channel JerryRigEverything uploaded a video showing how easy it is to bend the new iPads. In the video, the YouTuber puts the tablet to multiple endurance tests. He scratches the display with keys, and a scratch tool and the iPad survives the test. When he puts pressure on the iPad Pro with his fingers, the aluminium chassis bends and shatters the display.
The two weak points which caused the iPad bending, according to Zack, is the poorly placed microphone on the left side and the magnetic charging area on the right for the Apple pencil. The video has gone viral on social media with over 7.2 million views on his channel. Customers who have bought the latest Apple tablet have shown concerns over the newest bendgate as it is an expensive device that costs $600 or Rs 50,000 in India. Apple stayed silent initially but later stated The Verge, a news and media company confirming the issue.
Apple in its statement said that it is aware of the issue and the bending of the iPad Pro is not a manufacturing defect. The company states that it is a side defect of the manufacturing process. The bend is a result of the cooling process that is done on the iPad’s metal and plastic components. Apple also said that it does not think the side effect will affect the iPad’s performance negatively or get worse. Many users initially stated that the bend is caused when the iPad is kept inside their bag-pack, but recently, a few customers said their iPad was bent out-of-the-box.
Apple has not officially called back or replaced any iPad Pro for repairs. If you have recently bought the iPad Pro, Apple provides a 14-day return window. iPad Pro is the second device that was a bendgate member after the iPhone 6 and the 6 Plus. Apple then had acknowledged the weak aluminium grade and switched to a sturdier quality aluminium build for the 6s.
