Apple Confirms Some iPad Pros Ship Slightly Bent, But Says It's Normal (theverge.com)

Iwastheone shares a report from The Verge: Apple has confirmed to The Verge that some of its 2018 iPad Pros are shipping with a very slight bend in the aluminum chassis. But according to the company, this is a side effect of the device's manufacturing process and shouldn't worsen over time or negatively affect the flagship iPad's performance in any practical way. Apple does not consider it to be a defect. The bend is the result of a cooling process involving the iPad Pro's metal and plastic components during manufacturing, according to Apple. Both sizes of the new iPad Pro can exhibit it.

Those who are annoyed by the bend shouldn't have any trouble exchanging or returning their iPad Pro at the Apple Store or other retailers within the 14-day return window. But it's not clear if swaps will be permitted outside that policy. I've asked Apple if it has communicated with stores about the issue, as I've read some accounts of employees telling people it's accidental damage and warrants an AppleCare+ claim (and deductible) to replace. That shouldn't be the case for a slight bend. Apple also says it has not seen a higher-than-normal return rate for the 2018 iPad Pro so far.

Comments

if normal

[renegade600]

If normal, why did bending not appear on older models?

Re:if normal

[AmiMoJo]

It seems to be related to the new case design. They put a small hole for the mic on one side, and the USB socket directly opposite it, creating a weak point along which the iPad can be bent by hand fairly easily.

That creates problems during manufacturing because it becomes difficult to avoid bending the case as it gets machined and assembled.

Re:if normal

[gravewax]

If normal, why did bending not appear on older models?

I've owned well over a dozen aluminium chassis devices from laptops to tablets and phones but I've never bothered to check one for absolute straightness and as-advertised dimensions with a ruler and calipers. Have you?

No but I do regularly put my devices on hard flat surfaces which would clearly reveal any slight bends.

Re:if normal

[infolation]

It's a feature! That will be rebadged as the iBanana

Just like the 'notch', the iBanana (TM) will be mimicked by Samsung, Huawei el at. Soon you won't be able to buy a device that doesn't rock backwards and forwards. Eventually, devices won't be considered premium unless they roll around on a flat surface like some kind of demented perpetual motion machine.

Re:if normal

[AmiMoJo]

Well, Samsung did just demo a folding smartphone... Maybe Apple is just trying to get ahead of them.

Re: if normal

[AmiMoJo]

I think it's secrecy that ruins Apple products. It prevents them doing adequate real-world testing and leads to design flaws that should really be caught. Keyboards that can be killed by a spec of dust, antennas that don't work when you hold the phone, maps so bad they can kill you, weak screen hinges... The list is long and something that other high end manufacturers generally seem to avoid.

Distortion field

[serviscope_minor]

Looks like the reality distortion field has turned into a physical distortion field.

That's an example of Apple's "attention to detail"

[bogaboga]

Apple has confirmed to The Verge that some of its 2018 iPad Pros are shipping with a very slight bend in the aluminum chassis. But according to the company, this is a side effect of the device's manufacturing process and shouldn't worsen over time or negatively affect the flagship iPad's performance in any practical way.

I'd like to hear what Apple zealots say about this.

I expected Apple to tell us we're looking at the device "wrong"...

Re:That's an example of Apple's "attention to deta

[SeaFox]

I expected Apple to tell us we're looking at the device "wrong"...

"It's not the iPad that's bent. That oak table you're putting it on to demonstrate must be warped!"

Steve Jobs

[Dan East]

Steve Jobs was a jerk, but I cant help but wonder if we'd see this kind of engineering output if he was still around. This sounds like the type of thing he was a perfectionist about and would have went off over.

Out of character

[twdorris]

Even if only cosmetic, the issue is out of character for Apple, which has rooted its reputation in manufacturing devices with best-in-industry fit and finish.

This quote from the article sums up my opinion pretty well.

I've paid my Apple premium price before because I specifically didn't want to deal with questionable quality in any aspect. I wanted something that I knew someone had spent an exorbitant amount of time testing and re-working to make it as well as they could make it...and I was willing to pay the exorbitant price for that piece of mind so I could just get up and running quickly and go about my business. I haven't been disappointed yet on that front.

But THIS...this smacks of cheap Chinese ebay crap and to try to brush it off as not affecting operation...yeah, that's not gonna fly. Aluminum case warpage today, cheap SSD selection tomorrow. A company's response to a legitimate issue is even more indicative of their future products than the fact that they had an issue was to begin with.

I can accept an occasional slippage on that front, but to try to sweep it under the floor when you know full well your company's reputation and customer base is built around avoidance of that very type of thing raises some questions. They'll rethink this position. I hope.

No no, Apple haters!

[cascadingstylesheet]

No no, it's just that their products are so cool that it warps the space time continuum!

The device is actually straight, it's the universe around it that is bent!