Accessory makers cleaned up though by offering their own cases. The situation mirrors that in 2010, when the newly released iPhone 4 was found to suffer from phone reception problems when held in certain positions - which Apple resolved by offering a free bumper to customers. Now, though, that could be turned to their advantage as the 6 Plus has a perceived problem. Many had thus only been expecting a single new iPhone that would be larger than last year’s iPhone 5S and 5C, due to leaks from Apple’s supply chain over the past few months - but the “phablet”-sized 6 Plus caught accessory makers by surprise. Unlike other smartphone makers, Apple does not share any details of forthcoming handsets with acessory makers ahead of its launch. Independent tests have shown that the 6 Plus is easier to bend when force is applied than other similarly-sized devices - but it’s still unclear how many people would be able to apply such force unintentionally.Īpple said it sold 10m of both phones worldwide in its first three days on sale analysts say survey data suggests the smaller 4.7in iPhone 6 has outsold the 5.5in 6 Plus by about 3:1, suggesting 2.5m of the sales were 6 Plus models.įor accessory makers, though, the news of “Bendgate” could be a fresh boon, after they were caught flat-footed by the announcement of the larger phone. Though the iPhone 6 Plus is made of a strengthened aluminium alloy, some owners have reported problems with bending. The company has instructed its factories in Shenzhen, China, to begin making an aluminium bumper that will fit around the large phone and “prevent it being bent”, says Sarkar. “We had a meeting this morning - our retailers are asking for something for this, and our product team has come up with an interesting solution,” Deborshi Sarkar, the global head of sales at STK, told the Guardian. The company aims to have the product on sale within a month, though other companies are expected to offer similar products in the same timeframe. It comes after reports this week that some users had found the phones bending after carrying them in trouser pockets and subjected to stresses from sitting. STK Accessories, which makes iPhone and iPad accessories, has begun a crash program to build a “bumper” that will fit around the 5.5in 6 Plus to make it more resistant to bending. Or more precisely, an aluminium one – to strengthen it. The clouds over Apple’s launch of its large-screened iPhone 6 Plus - which some users say they have unwittingly bent - could have a silver lining for accessory makers.
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