Could the iPhone SE recreate Apple’s Bendgate scandal?

Contrary to what was expected, the new, smaller iPhone SE is more susceptible to bending than its larger predecessors. Yes, one would think that since it occupies less surface area, the iPhone SE wouldn’t crack under the impact of “back-pocket force”. Unfortunately, tests conducted by a company called SquareTrade revealed that the best 4-inch smartphone in the world is weaker than the 4.7-inch iPhone 6S and the 5.5-inch 6S Plus. For anyone wondering why Square Trade would be interested in finding out, the company sells extended mobile phone warranty; so it is in its clear interest to see how important it is for someone to purchase a warranty for a device that can crack/bend when you apply significant, continuous force upon it.

Another reason why this finding is rather surprising is the fact that the SE is thicker than the 6S and the 6S Plus. Apparently, in spite of the added waistline, the SE bends at only 160 pounds; the number is 10 pounds less than the weight needed to bend an 6S and 20 pounds less than what can cause an 6S Plus to give in. If 160 pounds just starts to bend it, only 8 pounds more and the SE reaches a point of no return, incurring “catastrophic failure”.

This is, of course, not the first time that an iPhone has been subject to criticism regarding how it handles pressure (pun intended). When the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus first came out in 2014, multiple users found out that when placed in their back pockets and sat down, the devices bend. This resulted in what is still referred to as the Bendgate, the center of multiple memes on social media and a PR nightmare for Apple. Many people were quick to take their pick from all content transfer apps to switch back to their old/other devices in the face of the debacle. Keeping that in mind, the company managed to address the issue in its 6S and 6S Plus range, and prevent it from being as “malleable”. It seems like when it comes to the SE, Apple cut corners on the “back pocket test”, because the device is two steps back in that regard.

According to technical experts like SmartIO and more.While none of the iPhones claim to be absolutely waterproof, the SE underperforms in that test too. According to SquareTrade, when submerged in water (five feet in depth), the SE permanently shut down in less than a minute. In comparison, the 6S survived no less than 30 minutes, with only its audio being affected.

The iPhone SE didn’t underperform in all tests. It fared better than the 6S Plus, but not the 6S, when subjected to SquareTrade’s “tumble test”. The tumble test requires the device to be placed in a spinning box to see how it survives taking the tumble. After being in the box for 30 seconds, the iPhone 6S Plus shattered to the point of no return; the SE received a few cuts and bruises too, but nothing fatal. The 6S, however, survived unscathed.