Apple under fire as it admits some iPads ship with a ‘bendy chassis’ – but says the flaw in the $799 product is ‘normal’
- Apple confirmed that the 11-inch and 12-inch iPad Pros might be slightly bent
- The firm said the issue is a ‘normal’ result of the device’s manufacturing process
- Users complained that the device was bent out of the box or after minor use
Apple released the $799 iPad Pro in October and, since then, some reports have surfaced that it easily bends under pressure.
Now, the iPhone maker has confirmed to the Verge that some of its 2018 iPad Pros have a slight bend in their aluminum chassis.
The deformity in the device’s casing is a normal side effect of the manufacturing process and shouldn’t impact its performance, according to Apple.
Apple released the $799 iPad Pro in October and, since then, some reports have said it bends under pressure. Now, the company confirms it’s a side effect of the manufacturing process
Additionally, the firm said the minor bend in its chassis shouldn’t get worse over time and that it doesn’t consider it to be a defect, the Verge explained.
Apple says the bend is due to the cooling process involving the iPad Pro’s aluminum and plastic components.
It can affect both the $799 11-inch iPad Pro and the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, which can cost up to $1,899 for the 1-terabyte version with other added features.
Following the iPad Pro’s release, several videos and user photos were shared on the internet that showed their device with a minor, but noticeable bend along the chassis.
One video, posted on YouTube by user JerryRigEverything, garnered a wave of attention after he demonstrated breaking his iPad Pro in half with seemingly little effort.
However, others have since labeled the video as a stunt, given that many tablets would break under the same amount of pressure, not just Apple’s.
Still, some consumers had reported on online forums that their iPad Pro was slightly bent after minor use and without any mistreatment or an accidental drop.
Others said their iPads were somewhat bent when they took them out of their packaging.
‘Today I realized mine has a slight bend,’ one user wrote in the MacRumors forum.
Following the iPad Pro’s release, several videos and user photos were shared on the internet that showed their device with a minor, but noticeable bend along the chassis
‘In less than a week it’s bent. Just had it in my backpack after a weekend of travel.
‘I’m disappointed on how easily this is able to bend,’ he added.
Apple told the Verge that concerns over the iPad Pro’s ‘structural rigidity’ are unsubstantiated and that it ‘stands by the product.’
It’s unclear whether users who purchase a slightly bent iPad can exchange or return the device without issue.
Apple last encountered issues with its devices when ‘bendgate’ erupted in 2014 over repeated issues with bending in the iPhone 6 Plus.