Apple acknowledges iPhone 6 Plus’ bending problem, says only 9 such issues have been reported so far

Apple has finally acknowledged the iPhone 6 Plus’ bending issue. The Cupertino giant company said in a statement that the bending from normal use is “extremely rare,” and it had only received nine such complaints so far, 9To5Mac reports.

The company asserts that the new iPhones are very sturdy, and made of steel/titanium to reinforce the stress locations, alongside sporting the strongest glass in the industry. Apple also said that it performs a number of strength and durability tests before shipping a handset.

Earlier this week we saw users complaining about their iPhones 6 phablet getting bent when kept in tight trouser pockets. This was later confirmed and publicly demonstrated by folks over at Unbox Therapy. The social media coined the term “BendGate” and everyone from individuals to rival companies took turns to take jabs at Apple. The company was subject to further humiliation when smartphones from Apple’s rivals were put to the same test and they performed much better than the iPhone 6 Plus.

Apple’s statement about BendGate read:

Our iPhones are designed, engineered and manufactured to be both beautiful and sturdy. iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus feature a precision engineered unibody enclosure constructed from machining a custom grade of 6000 series anodized aluminum, which is tempered for extra strength. They also feature stainless steel and titanium inserts to reinforce high stress locations and use the strongest glass in the smartphone industry. We chose these high-quality materials and construction very carefully for their strength and durability. We also perform rigorous tests throughout the entire development cycle including 3-point bending, pressure point cycling, sit, torsion, and user studies. iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus meet or exceed all of our high quality standards to endure every day, real life use.

The Cupertino giant further added that it was “extremely rare for an iPhone 6 to bend during normal use,” and that “a total of nine customers have contacted them about a bent iPhone 6 Plus. While Apple hasn’t confirmed it, there have been reports about Apple planning on replacing bent iPhone 6 Plus for free if they fulfill Apple’s strict criteria.