Apple: Only 9 People Have Contacted Us About Bent iPhones

Apple has issued a formal response to the #bendgate news, and their claim is that despite the social media furor, only nine customers have actually contacted Apple to complain of a bent iPhone 6 Plus.

While that number seems quite low given the loud grumbling on Twitter and other social media, it’s plausible. After all, it’s far easier to tweet a picture of a bent phone and snark on Apple to your friends online than it is to formally call the company and get assistance from an operator.

For example, the following tweets do not constitute "contacting Apple."

The Next Web reported that Apple will indeed replace bent iPhone 6 Plus devices in-store at the Genius Bar if they pass a test called a Visual Mechanical Inspection. It’s up to the Genius performing this test as to whether a replacement device will be free or paid.

From Apple's statement:

With normal use a bend in iPhone is extremely rare and through our first six days of sale, a total of nine customers have contacted Apple with a bent iPhone 6 Plus. As with any Apple product, if you have questions please contact Apple.

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 everyday, real-life use.