iPhone 6 Plus Bend Test

Apple iPhone 6s Won't Bend in Your Pocket, but Don't Drop It Face Down on the Sidewalk

Apple has exorcised the ghost of “Bendgate” with its new iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, according to an independent series of tests conducted over the weekend by SquareTrade Labs.

The San Francisco company, which provides extended warranties for consumer electronics products, put the latest generation of iPhones and the rival Samsung Galaxy Note5 through torture tests on Friday and Saturday to evaluate the devices’ durability. The handsets were subjected to drops, dunks, bends and extreme temperatures.

The iPhone 6s and 6s Plus are sturdier than their large-screen predecessors, thanks to their stronger 7000-series aluminum enclosure (the kind of alloy used by the aerospace industry). The iPhone 6s and 6s Plus withstood pressure of 170 pounds and 180 pounds, respectively, without bending. The Note5 was similarly hearty, withstanding a force of around 170 pounds.

It seems unlikely that these smartphones will bend in anyone’s pocket, as happened in a handful of cases last year with the iPhone 6 Plus.

Accidental drops, though, are still a problem. All three phones shattered when dropped face down on the pavement, SquareTrade Labs found. Cracked screens caused by accidental drops are responsible for half of all smartphone damage, the insurer reports. So Apple and Samsung still have some work to do there.

SquareTrade also subjected the smartphones to extreme temperatures to analyze battery life and performance. The test is intended to simulate common activities, such as leaving a phone in a hot car during the day (where temperatures could approach 110 degrees Fahrenheit) or on the porch during a cold winter night (zero degrees Fahrenheit).

The Note5 lasted nearly two hours making a video call, after being exposed to freezing temperatures. The iPhone 6s Plus lasted more than an hour, and the iPhone 6s lasted only 30 minutes.