A prevalent problem has arisen following the release of Google‘s higher-tier Nexus device; it bends but we’re not here to talk about that, at least not during the first part of this post. Most recently, Nexus 6P owners have taken to reddit to voice their concerns and experiences with the device. As we all know, the latest Nexus has glass on the back (a very small part) for its rear camera and other sensors. But what you wouldn’t expect is the rear glass panel suddenly cracking for no reason.
First encountered by a reddit user by the name “jonny_rat”, the owner recalls his experience, thus raising some huge concerns about how Huawei went into making these panels. The way jonny pictures it, the device was on a table, unattended and suddenly for no reason the glass just cracked. He isn’t alone as other users have also reported the panel splitting unexpectedly without fault or impact.
Here are more photos below for you to take a look:
A lot of science goes into the making of these intricate components, especially when you have a manufacturer like Corning involved. Though it’ll be tough to verify if these claims are true, and most importantly if no user error was involved. Until more reports surface or Google/Huawei makes an official statement, we’ll just have to rest on our laurels.
These problems highlight a key complication with metal unibody devices, since metal as an element is more reactive to temperatures, humidity and air pressure compared to polycarbonate and other plastics. Huawei’s graceful entry into metal devices (honor 7, Mate S and P8) and eventual Nexus 6P was bound to bump into some issues along the road, so this wasn’t entirely unexpected.
Bend-gate has been a thing since the iPhones and stress testing devices with this forceful (literal) methodology could now be seen as a “standard” for tech enthusiast. By now, mostly everyone interested would’ve seen the two bend tests by JerryRigEverything. The YouTuber in question took the Nexus 6P to its limits, halving the phablet in the process.
Some individuals doubted the authenticity of the video and the way he went upon testing but after releasing a second video, more people have started to consider that maybe Huawei’s device isn’t as tough as it’s assumed. The news is definitely worrying for potential buyers to know, however a quick search on YouTube will show you people trying the same thing but failing to bend the phones – adding more drama to the whole situation.
As users ourselves, it’s painful to watch anyone destroy a piece of tech but it’s nice to know that these people do it so we don’t have to. Let’s hope Huawei and Google explain themselves soon enough (like Apple did) since Malaysians might get the latest Nexus line by year end. The smartphone industry has to brace themselves as consumers find out new ways to point out design flaws in their products, they’ll either have to toughen up their products or substitute it with a material that can hold up to these tests.
Feel free to drop a comment down below regarding any weird experiences with your devices.
