Okay, so most people aren’t silly enough to throw down their hard-earned money on a new iPad Pro, only to snap it in half like that infamous YouTube video which did the rounds recently.
But some users have noticed that their new iPads are actually shipping with a slight bend in the aluminum chassis, which is therefore present before the device has even been used.
Don’t worry, Apple says. That’s totally normal, and nothing to worry about.
In a comment to The Verge, an Apple spokesperson said that this is a side effect of the manufacturing process and doesn’t affect iPad performance. Nor should it get worse over time.
The problem apparently affects the cellular LTE iPads the most, although it isn’t limited to just this device. Unlike the infamous “bendgate” issue with the iPhone 6 generation iPhones, this also affects both sizes of device — rather than just the larger one.
Something to do with the cooling process
According to Apple, the issue is something to do with the cooling process involving the iPad Pro’s metal and plastic components, which takes place during manufacturing.
That does shed some light on the problem (which Apple says is not a problem), but it’s out of character for the company. Considering that Apple is a company so obsessed with the look of its products that co-founder Steve Jobs once insisted that the inside of a black computer also be painted black, despite no-one seeing it, this is a slight lapse in quality control.
Then again, this issue hasn’t blown up online in the same way that “bendgate” (or an of the other Apple “gates”) have, so it would appear to affect only a small proportion of users.
Nonetheless, Apple should be happy to swap out units you’re unhappy with so long as you take them back to the Apple Store swiftly.
