iPad Pro iPad Pro's bending issue (merged)

[Siamchaim]

This doesn’t seem like it’s a result of being “too thin.” This looks more to me like a manufacturing defect that happened when the machining incorporated the antenna “strip.” I’m not overly concerned about it since I have Apple Care anyways, but without a digital level I’m not sure I can attest mine is bent. Sure looks like though.

It's absolutely to do with the fact that it's too thin. This issue furst came about with the iPad air 2. iPad air 1 was rock solid, it wasn't heavy either. No bending issues reported on Air 1. Come air 2 they bend so easily.

Apple's obsession with making things thinner and lighter resulted in the iPad air 2 which has a huge bending issue.

I can understand Apple trying to make iPads as thin as possible on the Pros because they'e so big and a 1mm extra thickness adds a lot of weight to the end product. But these are incredibly prone to bending.

on a 9.7" iPad air 2, it's bad. But on a larger form factor at 12.9" the bending is far worse due to leverage.

it's a shame that people have to end up putting on big heavy and rigid cases to stop their iPad bending.

 

[pdoherty]

It's absolutely to do with the fact that it's too thin. This issue furst came about with the iPad air 2. iPad air 1 was rock solid, it wasn't heavy either. No bending issues reported on Air 1. Come air 2 they bend so easily.

Apple's obsession with making things thinner and lighter resulted in the iPad air 2 which has a huge bending issue.

I can understand Apple trying to make iPads as thin as possible on the Pros because they'e so big and a 1mm extra thickness adds a lot of weight to the end product. But these are incredibly prone to bending.

on a 9.7" iPad air 2, it's bad. But on a larger form factor at 12.9" the bending is far worse due to leverage.

it's a shame that people have to end up putting on big heavy and rigid cases to stop their iPad bending.

Yeah - defeats the entire point of it being thinner if you have to encase it in concrete to protect the dumb thing.

 

[Aydy]

I said something similar earlier. I think the laminated display iPads are structurally lacking. Non laminated display iPads have the top layer glass, a slight air gap “then” the display underneath. I’m positive the top glass being separate acts like an extra layer of reinforcement.

 

[Kal-037]

I'll probably get the new ipad pro if they come out with it next month if they make it stronger and I don't care if it's heavier. I'll be happy if they make it a little heavier, especially if they put back the earphone jack. Fat chance! But they'll probably make it even lighter and thinner and weaker.

The new Samsung Tab S6 is thinner than the Ipod Pro and they are now making it out of aluminum too. Samsungs have been very durable. I wonder if this one will be too. If so they may be using a better grade of aluminum.

They aren’t immune to bending though...
These are not perfectly straight. The camera shows it slightly but in person they are bent. They were that way when we first got them in at Best Buy.
Physics is physics... no matter the company, manufacturing process, or materials.

Probably very little Samsung Tabs have been reported... but since iPad is so much bigger/well known (and larger in size, lol) and sold more, you’ll have folks run into issues.


Kallum.

 

[Aydy]

They aren’t immune to bending though...
These are not perfectly straight. The camera shows it slightly but in person they are bent. They were that way when we first got them in at Best Buy.
Physics is physics... no matter the company, manufacturing process, or materials.

Probably very little Samsung Tabs have been reported... but since iPad is so much bigger/well known (and larger in size, lol) and sold more, you’ll have folks run into issues.


Kallum.

I just checked my sisters tab S5e and while there’s no bend it does feel slightly thinner than my pro 12.9, so probably just as prone to flexing. I must say though that the S5e has been subject to a liberal amount of abuse (my sister is super disrespectful of technology) and practically lives in a backpack which is stuffed to capacity on a daily basis and the S5e has held up just fine so far. If I didn’t dislike android on tablets so much, I would certainly rate this.
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[polbit]

Wish there was a poll with this thread... Would it be fair to summarize that 11" LTE model is the most prone to the bending/touchscreen issues? Would the 12.9" WiFi be the least likely to have these problems? Hopefully new ones are out in a month or so, but if they won't be announced until mid-2020, I need to buy one, and don't really want to have to worry about issues like that in a $1.5k device...

 

[Aydy]

Was the bend issue reported from the initial release. I wonder if apple have changed the structural integrity of later pro model, or would that be something unlikely based on the manufacture process..I guess I’m asking if this could be a “batch” of devices being compromised that could, perhaps have already been rectified in later manufactured devices?

 

[Kal-037]

I just checked my sisters tab S5e and while there’s no bend it does feel slightly thinner than my pro 12.9, so probably just as prone to flexing. I must say though that the S5e has been subject to a liberal amount of abuse (my sister is super disrespectful of technology) and practically lives in a backpack which is stuffed to capacity on a daily basis and the S5e has held up just fine so far. If I didn’t dislike android on tablets so much, I would certainly rate this.
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I’m not saying it’s as prone to bending... just showing it can and without heavy meddling. I DO THINK the iPad Pro early shipments and design had a few quirks... but I got mine in Jan. 2019 and love it. I have no issues so far.
*curious to see if a 2019 model is actually coming out, I imagine small upgrades would appear. I would be interested in more CPU cores, more RAM, iPhone 11 Pro camera editing features.
but even then it comes down to “do I actually need it, or is the current Pro enough for a long while?

 

[zentraveller]

Reading through these posts I decided to get apple care plus with a monthly subscription when I get the IPP 11 Inch soon. If one day I decide to play frisbee with it with a random dog and it gets trashed I just trade it in for a minimal fee and get a brand new one.

$6 a month for that security is a no brainer to me.

 

[Aydy]

Reading through these posts I decided to get apple care plus with a monthly subscription when I get the IPP 11 Inch soon. If one day I decide to play frisbee with it with a random dog and it gets trashed I just trade it in for a minimal fee and get a brand new one.

$6 a month for that security is a no brainer to me.

This entire thread reads like a subliminal advert for AppleCare+. Mostly, all I’ve learned is that the current iPP bends more readily than others and AC+ is practically a necessary add-on at checkout

 

[aevan]

This entire thread reads like a subliminal advert for AppleCare+. Mostly, all I’ve learned is that the current iPP bends more readily than others and AC+ is practically a necessary add-on at checkout

I’ve had mine for almost a year, carried it everywhere in several bags and used it daily and it’s perfectly straight. I don’t have AC+ because it’s not available in my country (thanks Apple)

Anyway, AC+ is not necessary. Just don’t sit on yours, throw the bag it’s in around or use it as a firsbee and it should be fine.

 

[Aydy]

I’ve had mine for almost a year, carried it everywhere in several bags and used it daily and it’s perfectly straight. I don’t have AC+ because it’s not available in my country (thanks Apple)

Anyway, AC+ is not necessary. Just don’t sit on yours, throw the bag it’s in around or use it as a firsbee and it should be fine.

I’ve got a few more weeks to add AC. Still debating but will probably add it. There’s enough anecdotal evidence imo to be concerned. Also the bend test videos online show the effort required to bend and snap is minimal on this particular model. If we make the mistake of labelling these videos as “clickbait” then we are essentially lodging our fingers in our ears while shielding our eyes from the reality that they are indeed bending, and doing so with virtually a bare minimum of effort.

The whole clickbait accusations seem weird to me if I’m honest and don’t think they can be used as excuses. Several of these videos are from actual apple fanatics who consistently big-up apple products. They are generally excited to show just how durable apple gear is in comparison to others.


EverythingApplePro’ (for example) is literally buzzing in his current durability test of the iPhone 11pro and can not hide his enthusiasm and/or excitement with regard to how well built and durable the new iPhone is..This guy loves everything apple..you can see that in every unboxing video he does BUT even he concedes the weakness of the IPP 2018 and is visibly shocked at the minimal effort required to bend it. This guy has bent many iPads but never has one literally snapped in his hands, as did the current iPP.

I’ve no doubt some of the online videos are about hits and we can usually sense the tongue in cheek nature of these but there are others out there that all but confirm there are structural issues at play here. Anyone using common sense can sort the wheat from the chaff and recognise that even some of Apple’s most enthusiastic of supporters are disappointed in the current iPP build quality.

I won’t be bending mine forcibly or intentionally so it doesn’t matter to me, and long may mine last but I won’t disregard the evidence from those who have bends from less deliberate or intentional means either. Sad to say but their bad experiences and posts here & elsewhere are cautionary & beneficial for the rest of us & potential new buyers. Perhaps we needn’t baby these iPads but I’m convinced we need to be somewhat more aware of our iPads potential fragility and the surroundings we keep them.

 

[StellarVixen]

Apple should just make iPad with steel band, like on iPhone, and problem will be solved (if there is problem, at all).

 

[0989382]

Apple should just make iPad with steel band, like on iPhone, and problem will be solved (if there is problem, at all).

Steel is heavy.

 

[GBNova]

Apple should start making iPads out of a one piece carbon fiber shell.

 

[seadragon]

Titanium.

 

[StellarVixen]

While I suggested something realistic, something that Apple, in fact, does already, people here started suggesting some exotic "solutions", out of mockery or whatever...

Steel frame has made their newer iPhones virtualy impossible to bend in daily usage.

 

[seadragon]

While I suggested something realistic, something that Apple, in fact, does already, people here started suggesting some exotic "solutions", out of mockery or whatever...

Steel frame has made their newer iPhones virtualy impossible to bend in daily usage.

Who’s mocking? The Apple Watch is available in Titanium now. Strong and light.

 

[PBG4 Dude]

Who’s mocking? The Apple Watch is available in Titanium now. Strong and light.

Maybe so, but it’s all in how you use it. My 2001 TiPBG4 was way less structurally stable than my 2003 AlPBG4 laptop.

The TiPBG4 was also $1,100 more expensive IIRC.

 

[victry1]

I realize this is an old topic but I did notice last night a slight bend in my 12.9” Pro. I’ve had it almost a year now and in the beginning, there was absolutely no bend. Recently, I’ve been storing it in a holder on its long side and can’t help but wonder if I should just leave it flat. Hoping it doesn’t get any worse.

 

[pdoherty]

Which generation do you have?

Question for those suffering the inconsistent screen input issue - do any of you have the latest gen (2018) that has the slimmer bezels all around and no Home button?

 

[seadragon]

Which generation do you have?

Question for those suffering the inconsistent screen input issue - do any of you have the latest gen (2018) that has the slimmer bezels all around and no Home button?

Mine is a 2nd gen. 2017 12.9. It has a home button. The touch issues seem to have started with the 2nd gen. and carried into the 3rd gen. There is still no solution that works.

 

[pdoherty]

Mine is a 2nd gen. 2017 12.9. It has a home button. The touch issues seem to have started with the 2nd gen. and carried into the 3rd gen. There is still no solution that works.

Yep. Same gen as mine, which was ruined by this (and it’s a replacement for the first one (same gen/model) that had the issue too.

 

[seadragon]

Yep. Same gen as mine, which was ruined by this (and it’s a replacement for the first one (same gen/model) that had the issue too.

Yes, mine was also replaced about a year after the original one I had. Both had/have this issue. I think there is a flaw in the design. Touch issues plus light bleed issues that occur over time.

 

[Khaleal]

I just noticed that my iPad has a white spot that expands when I push the screen around it, I removed the case (it’s been inside the case since day one), and I can clearly see it’s bent around the same area of the white spot. It’s a 12.9” Cellular model And still under apple 1 year warranty.

Did anyone have success getting their iPad replaced/repaired for this issue?