When a new iPhone launches, expect people to test it in a myriad of unusual ways to test the device’s capabilities; this is especially true when Apple announced the all-new iPhone Air, with its ultra-thin 5.6mm profile looking to take on the bend tests. Enter JerryRigEverything the Air(bender). Can’t resist the pun myself.
Bending The iPhone Air
Those who lived through the launch of iPhone 6 series – the thinnest iPhone produced until iPhone Air – will know the infamous “bendgate,” which referred to the high likelihood of these phones to bend under pressure, such as when placed tightly in a user’s pocket. iPhones have gotten thicker since then, and naturally with the improvements in construction, they’re getting very good at keeping themselves intact even when subjected to high bending forces.
While iPhone Air is extremely thin, the chassis is constructed of titanium, which is several times stronger than aluminum; it’s also more elastic, meaning it is more likely to return to shape once the bending force is removed. As seen in JerryRigEverything’s bend test, the smartphone resisted the forces applied to it, as the device bowed slightly under his thumbs briefly before returning to shape.
In fact, it is not sufficient for a normal human to break this smartphone – the creator has to bring the phone to a crane scale and some metal bars to finally break this iPhone Air after a whopping 97 kilograms of force has been applied to its titanium chassis. More surprisingly, despite the cracked glass and a visibly bent frame, the OLED display somehow remained functional throughout this ordeal.
So, if you have any worries on iPhone Air’s durability, this test should put those doubts to rest. Good job, Apple.
Pokdepinion: The thickness did fool me when I first saw it in keynote.
