Back in 2014, Apple launched the iPhone 6 Plus, which slid into our pockets like a dream but came out like a boomerang. Upon inspection and some reviews, “Bendgate” was born, and Apple quietly beefed up the design in the following year. Fast forward to 2025, whispers of Apple’s forthcoming iPhone 17 Air with its thin form factor are getting louder by the day.
Bendgate 2.0 or Brilliant Engineering? The iPhone 17 Air Dares to Walk the Line
Apple’s mission is to make the sleekest iPhone in history, with reports suggesting that the device will be just 5.5mm thin. However, there is a drawback — when you chase looks this aggressively, something is bound to break, and the same can be said about the upcoming iPhone 17 Air. The company is aware of the delicate nature of the Bendgate fiasco, which is why it has canceled the larger version of the iPhone 17 Air in internal testing, as it was too flimsy. The display was scaled down to 6.6 inches just to avoid another PR disaster.
We do have to consider that the iPhone 17 Air will use titanium-alloy, which is a good thing compared to the 6000–series aluminum used in the iPhone 16 Plus. Even though it is harder and more durable than aluminum, we do not have to pretend that it is indestructible. There are various factors that contribute to the durability of a metal, which include heat, pressure, and maybe a little more force than usual, but the point is that it can break if all the conditions are met.
We do have to give a thumbs up to Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Edge, which passed JerryRigEverything’s durability and bend test, something that not a lot of smartphones pass when they are this thin. The structural integrity plays an important role, and reinforcing the design with metal would give it another layer of hardness. Apple could move the same route as well, and while I am personally positive about the durability, the real-world tests could beg to differ.
So, is Apple risking another Bendgate with the iPhone 17 Air? Yes, but this time around, the company knows exactly what it’s doing, as it has experienced the fiasco firsthand a few years ago. It knows what needs to be done to make the device harder and more durable, enough to not let it snap in half. Apple has spent a lot of money on research and development, and if the results are not favorable for Apple by the end of the day, the iPhone 17 Air will be a very expensive mistake disguised in titanium.
Thin comes at a cost, and all we can do is hope that it is not paid in bent phones and broken trust. We will be covering various aspects of the device, so it will be wise for you to follow us for further details.
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