Apple: Bent iPhone 6 Problems Are 'Extremely Rare'

Apple has issued an official response to claims that its enlarged smartphone, the iPhone 6 Plus, is prone to bending out of shape.

Following a week of commentary on the web and social media, Apple has sought to play down how common the issue is. The Cupertino corporation claims that it has only received nine complaints regarding malformed iPhone 6 Pluses, and says the problem is "extremely rare".

The nine complaints, however, does not include those who have contacted retailers or insurance companies, and does not take into account how many customers have yet to take any action.

One YouTube video, published earlier in the week, demonstrated that the iPhone 6 Plus can be bent by hand. The back of the iPhone 6 Plus features a six-inch aluminium casing, which appears to be the part of the phone that is not resisting the pressure.

"Our iPhones are designed, engineered, and manufactured to be both beautiful and sturdy," Apple wrote in a statement issued to The Verge.

While acknowledging the issue, Apple has played down the severity of it. The company says that the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus "feature a precision engineered unibody enclosure constructed from machining a custom grade of 6000 series anodized aluminum, which is tempered for extra strength."

It added: "They also feature stainless steel and titanium inserts to reinforce high stress locations and use the strongest glass in the smartphone industry. We chose these high-quality materials and construction very carefully for their strength and durability. We also perform rigorous tests throughout the entire development cycle including 3-point bending, pressure point cycling, sit, torsion, and user studies. iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus meet or exceed all of our high quality standards to endure everyday, real life use.

"With normal use a bend in iPhone is extremely rare and through our first six days of sale, a total of nine customers have contacted Apple with a bent iPhone 6 Plus. As with any Apple product, if you have questions please contact Apple."