It’s been rumored for months that the iPhone 6S might pick up Apple Watch’s Force Touch feature when it’s updated this Fall, but according to the Chinese media Jony Ive is also planning to use the same aluminum used in the Apple Watch Sport.
If Apple pulls it off, it could solve the Bendgate controversy.
Economic Daily News claims Apple will use the same higher level of 7000 series aluminum found in the Apple Watch Sport. If Apple manages to work the harder metal into the mass production process it could result in 60% harder iPhone cases, blowing pasting Samsung’s smartphones, which also have a bending issue.
Apple touted the strength of the Apple Watch Sport’s aluminum in a video released in March. The 7000 series aluminum is the same that’s used in competition bicycles, only Apple altered it with a new alloy to make it just as light but more durable.
EDN has a spotty track record with Apple rumors, so readers should take this rumor with a fair bit of skepticism. However, Apple has been brought iPhone features to the iPad, so it’d make sense for Apple Watch to be a source of innovation for future iPhone features.
Buster Hein is a freelance writer who lives in Phoenix, Arizona. Twitter: @bst3r.
4 responses to “Apple Watch’s hardened aluminum in iPhone 6s could lay Bendgate to rest”
Yeah, there are various grades of aluminum alloys, plus there the fact that they are milling it out where the thickness is very thin to accommodate the guts inside, then there is the cutouts for the buttons that weakens the area of the case. I’m surprised Apple doesn’t use Titanium, it flexes, but goes back to the original shape, whereas Aluminum flexes, but once it gets to a certain point, it doesn’t flex back and it actually weakens the stress point which makes it easier to bend even further. Magnesium is a pretty rigid metal, as is carbon fiber as far as a light weight material. I hope that some day, Apple can make the thing impossible to damage while still being thin, lightweight, easy to hold, etc. I just got a 6+ and I haven’t bent the thing since i have a case for it. It’s just people have to not sit on a hard surface when it’s in their pocket, or not try to purposely bend it.
What I noticed is when they put the phones under that stress test, the point was in the middle of the phone, but when people try to bend the phone, they bend it off-center where it’s closer to the button cut out where it’s weaker. So, I think they need to do a variety of stress tests where they place the point off center closer to the weak point of the cut outs for the buttons (both sides).
“Apple Watch’s hardened aluminum in iPhone 6s could lay Bendgate to rest
Sorry, so-called “bendgate” was laid to rest a long time ago. •Please• don’t be BGR and continue to dredge up these old non-issues.
It was being dredged up again when Samsung announced their S6’s. And I think they are dredging it up because of the new model they are working on that’s going to be released at the end of the year.