Got a bent iPhone 6 Plus? Apple might replace it for free

Apple might replace your bent iPhone 6 Plus, but only if you ask it nicely. Online customer service reps have been telling disgruntled devotees that warped handsets will need to pass a special ‘Visual Mechanical Inspection’ conducted in Apple Stores.

Tight-trouser wearing iPhone 6 Plus owners have found that the handset is prone to warping in their pockets, with some people complaining that very little pressure is required to bend the supersize phone. The design fault has been trending on Twitter with disgruntled users posting photos of their warped handsets.

Apple has refused to comment on the issue, but the issue is being looked at “with an insane amount of detail” according to Apple’s support team. Speaking to tech blog The Next Web, Apple customer service said that people could take their bent iPhone 6 Plus into an Apple store for an inspection.

“There is a test called a Visual Mechanical Inspection that the device will have to pass. If it is within the guidelines, they will be able to cover it. If not, the replacement would be a paid one,” the Apple support rep explained.

The rep explained that the final decision about replacing bent iPhone 6 Plus handsets would rest with in-store staff, known as Geniuses. If the handset passes the in-store test then it would be eligible for repair under warranty.

One user posted a video showing how easily the iPhone 6 Plus bent in his hands. In the video, which has been viewed over 21 million times, the iPhone 6 Plus is shown to bend when very little pressure is applied. Some people have pointed out that wearing tight trousers is the likely cause but users with bent iPhones have responded saying their trousers weren’t especially tight.

Apple is extremely unlikely to replace phones under warranty where it is clear excessive force has been used to bend them. The bendy iPhone 6 Plus is nothing new, reports of warped iPhones and Android phones have been cropping up on customer forums for several years.