Since last week a bend test conducted by extended warranty provider SquareTrade has been making the rounds online. It has become quite popular as it showcases some of the most recent devices including the HTC One M9, the iPhone 6 Plus and also both new flagships from Samsung. The video shows that the Galaxy S6 edge broke under pressure of 110lbf (50kgf) but Samsung says the result is not completely reflective of how durable the device is, so the company conducted its own bend test for both the Galaxy S6 and the Galaxy S6 edge.
Samsung points out that the video from SquareTrade makes an assumption that can rarely occur in normal circumstances. The normal force generated when a person presses the back pocket is close to 66lbf (30kgf) and the company's internal tests show that both new flagships are not bendable even when put under 79lbf (32kgf) pressure which is equivalent to the pressure that needs to be applied to snap a bundle of five pencils at once. Very rarely will a person apply 110lb (kgf) pressure on their device even when it's in the back pocket.
The company also says that SquareTrade's test does not show the strength of the devices' back side even though in normal circumstances both the front and back sides are exposed under the same level of pressure. Since it only tested the front side Samsung says the bend test “may mislead consumers about the entire durability” of the devices. The company has said that it will officially deliver its statement to SquareTrade and ask them to conduct a stress test again which targets both the front and back sides and then make the results public.
Samsung reiterates that all of its devices go through high-quality rigorous validation tests before they're sent out to consumers, these tests include dropping, breakage and bending. The company confidently says that all of its smartphones “are not bendable under daily usage.”
