Apple reportedly punishes German mag for its iPhone 6 Plus bend test

[Trik'Stari]

Ummm... Yep.

I dare you to try bending/snapping my Nokia by hand, you will break your fingers first.

[Builder]

I dare you to try bending/snapping my Nokia by hand, you will break your fingers first.

Your Nokia is the exception and not the rule. I was refuting that there aren't many that can't be bent. All these negatives.

[Trik'Stari]

Your Nokia is the exception and not the rule. I was refuting that there aren't many that can't be bent. All these negatives.

Lol. too scared to try bending a 1cm thick nokia by hand? MWAHAHAHA!

 

*knocks self out answering nokia phone*

 

Edit: I do have to say, after 2 years of owning it, not using screen protectors or anything other than a case that protects the plastic finish, it's still in mint condition

[Builder]

Lol. too scared to try bending a 1cm thick nokia by hand? MWAHAHAHA!

 

*knocks self out answering nokia phone*

Jesus you are drunk. You can't even understand what I'm posting. Go to bed.

[Trik'Stari]

Jesus you are drunk. You can't even understand what I'm posting. Go to bed.

Lol fair enough. and I see your point now.

 

#NOKIAMASTERRACE

[patrickjp93]

Yes but you have the 6, we are talking about the 6+, also i don't trust consumer reports, they have been always a little bit biased and i am still mad when they talked shit about the suzuki samurai, so it shows that they are not truthful when it comes to their reports. Also from what i have read they applied pressure with a machine in the middle, not did a real world test or applied force near the volume button area where the phone has the issues.

 

They applied a torque to five different sections of the phone. For pete's sake enough flaming against consumer reports which has the best track record in the world of actually testing products for everyday usage.

[Builder]

They applied a torque to five different sections of the phone. For pete's sake enough flaming against consumer reports which has the best track record in the world of actually testing products for everyday usage.

Don't let that get in the way of the mindless Apple bashing. Frankly I think all of this shit is verging on slander but of course I'm just going to be called a brainless iSheep fanboy for that or whatever.

[Dietrichw]

Also think about contracts that might not allow drop test or tests that physically harm the phone that are included with provided review units or as a media affiliate. If it is a unit provided by Apple for the reviewer then that is very likely. As an Example if Linus bashed the 980 unreasonably and intentionally broke it, Nvidia would not be happy at all and would consider not working with Linus in the future.

[Jerakl]

That's sooooo immature. YOUR PHONE BENDS EASILY. DEAL WITH IT. Other phones do to, but I wager it's easier to bend with your hands because of the flat backing. I also wager the One M8 would be harder to bend with your hands because of the curved backing which seems more structurally sound to me.

[Victorious Secret]

Also think about contracts that might not allow drop test or tests that physically harm the phone that are included with provided review units or as a media affiliate. If it is a unit provided by Apple for the reviewer then that is very likely. As an Example if Linus bashed the 980 unreasonably and intentionally broke it, Nvidia would not be happy at all and would consider not working with Linus in the future.

 

This is also a reality. 

 

I've seen contracts (cause I used to get devices to use, hell I still do) and they explicitly state that you don't do things to damage the property. You don't own the device, barring a post-contract termination purchase, and you are leasing it from the company. 

 

In my case, I was loaning right from Samsung directly. I got to use the device how I wished, they were even cool with rooting and ROM installation, but the rules were the device had to go back to them in stock condition and I couldn't damage them. 

 

So when a publication starts DAMAGING phones they don't even own, yea, it might actually be a breach of contract and a serious one. I'm assuming here that this publication was loaned review units from Apple, cause thats the only way it would make sense for Apple to flip a table and get mad about this. 

Does Apple give a damn that other places are bending their units? I don't think so. I mean, Consumer Reports buys their own products all the time, they didn't get shit. They have no contract. Why would Apple get mad? Many places have done that, they seem to be in the clear. So only these guys, and if they did it using devices they don't even own and belong to Apple...thats some explanation? It sure as shit a better explanation than the other stuff I could think of. 

 

And @patrickjp93 you need to understand, such facts don't matter. Consumer Reports, while I think are useless in car reviews, are VERY thorough in their reviews no matter what they review. They are independent and literally stake their own money on the products they review. If CR says something, it bears more signifincane to me than a bunch of YouTube videos showing people bending phones intentionally. I'm sorry, but I'll take solid numbers over "hold phones and start bending with force you would never apply in real use"

But thats just me. 

 

Honestly this is all getting VERY tiresome from all sides. We've beaten the horse so badly the corpse can't even be identified anymore. Sad fact is anything Apple related generates page views and clicks and ad revenue like mad, so this will be milked for as long as it possibly can till the next big calamity occurs.

 

[hong1204]

That is the standardized, and fair testing method and shows that under the same pressure other phones would deform and break, not unique to the iPhone,..also from what you have read? I suggest watching the video before commenting about the content it contains

 

Also a video about a car from 1988? it might bear the same name but does not mean it follows the same practices or employs the same people

[StingBull]

- Apple has the right to ban any reviewer from getting a review unit if they think they don't do a fair review or breach their contract some other way.

- Apple should not have banned this magazine. Especially considering how much bad publicity they have from phone bendings and iOS hick ups the last they needed right now was looking like they are trying to silence criticism.

[shawno]

I think Apple need to harden up a little. Banning a magazine for a valid test because they don't like the results is a little pathetic.

If they can't stand the truth they should just fix it.

I've owned Apple phones before and the build quality is too flimsy for something that should be durable, my response to the 4 was... Who the hell designs a phone with glass on both sides!!!

[That Norwegian Guy]

Hopefully, some Streisand effect will snowball off the back of this.

 

And that is the first and last post I will make on the iPhone banana imitation matter, as I simply don't care.

 

Nor do I tolerate internet 12-yearold's propensity to collectively name any minor kerfluffle something shitty and dumb with 'gate' at the end. Some people have as little creativity as they have sense of proportions, thinking some stupid and trivial matter can ever compare to watergate.

[MrSuperb]

They purposefully broke a device that Apple sent them free of charge for testing purposes ....

 

How would any sane company react? Send them another one?

 

Also Bild (and ComputerBild) are pretty much the worst magazines/newspapers available in Germany.

They make their money by posting "SHOCKING" news

[Guest]

Breaking News from the past: Apple are dicks.

[jaggysnake57]

why am i not shocked that its the same people defending apple again......

 

its clearly obvious now that there is an issue with there phone otherwise y react the way they have?

 

 

im disappointed

[IdortMasterRace]

Jesus christ is this really worthy of news? 

 

Yes, go away, stop defending them.

 

Apple plebs are the worst.

[LAwLz]

I think all the Apple apologists should read the open letter Computer Bild wrote:

Dear Mr. Tim Cook!
Just like anyone else who is obsessed with digital technology we have eagerly awaited the new iPhone. We felt relief when the head of our telecom department one day shouted “Here we go!”, presenting an invitation to the great event. And certainly we took a flight, went all the way to California, just to tell our readers every detail about the device that you and your company have worked on so hard for such a long time.
 
When the iPhone 6 Plus finally hit the market we noticed a few reports on a possible problem. According to them the case seemed to be weak, “bendable”, to drop the evil word. Being popular for our tests with utmost scrutiny, we could not leave the subject without comment. Of course that required further tests since testing new products without any prejudice is our obligation to our readers.
 
And so we bought an iPhone 6 Plus, just to find out whether it was a singular problem or some kind of hoax. The test was quite simple, so we could easily record it on video. Just to prove that what happens is nothing but the truth.
 
To be honest: We were shocked about how easy it was to bend the device. And so were around 200.000 viewers who watched the video up until now. We can imagine that you and your colleagues must have been shocked, too. This might have been the reason why we got a call from one of your german colleagues the next morning. He was upset, and it was a rather short conversation. “From now on”, he said, “you won’t get any devices for testing purposes and you will not be invited to Apple events in the future.”
 
Dear Mr. Cook: Is this really how your company wants to deal with media that provide your customers with profound tests of your products? Do you really think that a withdrawal of Apple’s love and affection could have an intimidating effect on us? Luckily we do not have to rely on devices that Apple provides us with. Luckily, a lot of readers are willing to pay money for our magazine to keep us independent. So we are able to buy devices to do our tests anyway. Even devices of manufacturers that seem to fear COMPUTER BILD’s independent judgement.
 
Even if we are quite dismayed about Apple’s reaction, we won’t give up our principles: We will continue our incorruptible tests that have the same high reputation in the german media-landscape as Apple has for its products. So far. We congratulate you to your fine new generation of iPhones, even if one of them has a minor weakness with its casing. But we are deeply disappointed about the lack of respect of your company.

Best regards,
Axel Telzerow
Editor in Chief COMPUTER BILD-Group

They didn't bend the review unit Apple sent them. They went out and bought a brand new unit and bent it.
So no, the "but they broke the reviewers contract by breaking the phone!" argument doesn't hold up.

 

So basically, if The Verge were to go out, buy an iPhone, bend it and post about it, they would also be banned from future Apple events. How can any sane, unbiased person defend this type of behavior?
 
@Victorious Secret
@Dietrichw
@MrSuperb
@Hans Christian | Teri

[Hans Christian | Teri]

I think all the Apple apologists should read the open letter Computer Bild wrote:

They didn't bend the review unit Apple sent them. They went out and bought a brand new unit and bent it.

So no, the "but they broke the reviewers contract by breaking the phone!" argument doesn't hold up.

 

So basically, if The Verge were to go out, buy an iPhone, bend it and post about it, they would also be banned from future Apple events. How can any sane, unbiased person defend this type of behavior?

 

@Victorious Secret

@Dietrichw

@MrSuperb

@Hans Christian | Teri

 

That doesn't change my opinion (nor did it when I read it the first time). They haven't been banned from a public event, they're simply not getting an invitation. When you throw a party you damn well get to choose who's invited yourself.

[MoonSpot]

Let's just hope Linus and the rest of LMG continue to review in earnest the products they receive without fear of being sidelined and shunned by manufacturers for the sake of we prosumers who may want to know potential pitfalls, quarks and eccentricities before spending our money. 

[RH00D]

Breaking an NDA is different to doing the public a service by testing a phone.

The the Gizmodo situation was different because the phone was stolen (picked up in a bar after an Apple field-tester forgot it there) and Gizmodo paid $5,000 for it from the person who picked it up.

 

So I didn't really blame Apple for blacklisting Gizmodo, but Apple goes way overboard with the way they try to suppress and manipulate the media into only writing good things about them.

 

They're basically saying "If you criticize us, we'll ban you from attending our events and stop sending you review units" and sites have a lot to lose from that as first-day Apple reviews generate a lot of page views and page views = money.

[LAwLz]

That doesn't change my opinion (nor did it when I read it the first time). They haven't been banned from a public event, they're simply not getting an invitation. When you throw a party you damn well get to choose who's invited yourself.

So would you be okay with Nvidia telling Linus "hey Linus, if you don't give us positive reviews we won't invite you to our launch parties or send you review cards. You know all your review buddies? Yeah, they will be able to put up reviews on launch day while you will be several days late and losing out on views"? I wouldn't be okay with that, and that's exactly what Apple is doing right now.

[Hans Christian | Teri]

So would you be okay with Nvidia telling Linus "hey Linus, if you don't give us positive reviews we won't invite you to our launch parties or send you review cards. You know all your review buddies? Yeah, they will be able to put up reviews on launch day while you will be several days late and losing out on views"? I wouldn't be okay with that, and that's exactly what Apple is doing right now.

 

If Linus went out of his way to attempt to destroy a product deviating from his standard testing procedure hell yes. They could have mentioned the problem, said they were concerned, linked to an existing video showcasing the problem. I don't agree with the way they did stuff (and obviously neither did Apple) that's all. To some degree you are obligated to play nice (which no is not the same as giving only positive reviews).

[jaggysnake57]

If Linus went out of his way to attempt to destroy a product deviating from his standard testing procedure hell yes. They could have mentioned the problem, said they were concerned, linked to an existing video showcasing the problem. I don't agree with the way they did stuff (and obviously neither did Apple) that's all..........

 

bullshit.  so if the latest 980 had an issue that, under certain types of loads, would cause the card to catastrophically fail and render the card dead, you think that its wrong for linus to recreate that situation to test if the flaw is real?  if thats the case then there are several videos where PSUs were thrown off of a house that should have seen him loose manufactures.

 

......To some degree you are obligated to play nice (which no is not the same as giving only positive reviews).

no your obligated to your viewers/readers to give the best, fair and comprehensive reviews you can. apples stunt here is a gaging order for other publications and sites. if anything apple have given more credance to the notion that there is an issue with the 6+ buy employing this tactic.

 

id love to see @LinusTech way in on whats happened here, given his knowledge of the industry