Video Shows Galaxy S6 Edge Will Bend; Samsung Says It’s Misleading

samsungYou might remember a little controversy last fall called bendgate, in which Apple’s new-at-the-time iPhone 6 Plus was found to bend if you applied enough pressure. Following the flurry of stories and issues surrounding that device, it comes as no surprise that Samsung’s newest smartphone, the Galaxy S6 Edge, would be subjected to similar tests, thus introducing us to a possible bendgate 2.0.

Forbes reports that electronics insurer SquareTrade applied the same tests that showed the iPhone would bend under pressure to the new Samsung device with strikingly similar, if not inferior results.

As was the case in previous tests, SquareTrade used the same applied pressure machine to exert 110 pounds of force on the Samsung device. The test not only resulted in a bent smartphone, but also a broken glass screen – something that didn’t occur with the iPhone 6 Plus.

Samsung addressed SquareTrade’s tests in a blog post late Sunday evening, raising concerns about the methods used in the testing.

The company says that the video assumes very specific conditions that are not typical of the everyday pressure put on Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge phones. Additionally, Samsung said the test does not expose both sides of the phone to equal pressure.

“Some smartphones have different durability in each the front and back sides respectively,” the blog post states. “SquareTrade has only tested the front side, which may mislead consumers about the entire durability of smartphones.”

Samsung says it will officially ask SquareTrade to conduct a second stress test open to the public and targeting both the front and back sides of the phone.

“All our devices are put [through] rigorous high-quality validation tests before they are delivered to consumers,” the company states. “These tests include various conditions, such as dropping, bending, and breakage. And we are confident that all our smartphones are not bendable under daily usage.”

The company ends the statement with video of its own pressure test of the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge devices. That video doesn’t exactly replicate SquareTrade’s test, instead the test applies up to 81 pounds of pressure from multiple angles.

Samsung says it chose that pressure mark because it depicts the “normal force” generated by consumers when the phone is carried in the back pocket.

The original bendgate famously began back in September when videos started surfacing on the internet showing consumers bending the new iPhone 6 Plus with their bare hands.

Similar to Samsung’s recent reaction, Apple maintained that normal use of the devices wouldn’t result in bent phones.

Still, Consumer Reports went ahead and tested the bend-ability of the devices and others like it, including Samsung’s Galaxy Note 3.

In those tests, the Note 3 was found to spring back to form until testers applied 150 pounds of pressure. At that point the device stopped working and its screen separated from its body.

Here’s a video of SquareTrade’s latest test on the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge:

For comparison, here is video of Samsung’s pressure test:

Samsung Angrily Responds To Galaxy S6 Edge Bend Video [Forbes]

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