With Apple's next-gen iPhones expected to debut early next month, one question is on everyone's mind: Will they bend?
Following last year's "Bendgate" controversy—when some iPhone 6 Plus owners reported that their 5.5-inch phablets were bending—Cupertino appears to have beefed up its new smartphone casing.
Unbox Therapy this week released a video highlighting the backplate of what it says is the upcoming iPhone 6s (pictured in gold). Using a digital caliper, host Lewis Hilsenteger took measurements and compared the new rear casing to that of the current iPhone 6 .
The new casing boasts all-around thickness, particularly near the power and volume buttons where the 6 Plus was known to bend. At 1.99mm thick, the iPhone 6s almost doubles the density of the 1.14mm flagship device.
But the new backplate doesn't add any heft; in fact, it weighs 2 grams less than the iPhone 6.
"Not only do we have what look like enhancements, but we also have an overall lighter shell," Hilsenteger said, bolstering rumors that the next-generation iPhone will adopt the same 7000 Series aluminum used in the Apple Watch.
"[There's] sort of some evidence here that Apple took 'Bendgate' seriously," the video host said. "But it looks like this time around, everyone's going to end up with a stronger iPhone than the previous gen."
Ahead of Apple's rumored September press event, leaked photos hit the Web in July, showcasing the so-called iPhone 6s.
Cupertino last fall defended its iPhone 6 Plus, announcing that even for regular users, bending is "extremely rare." Of course, putting it in your back pocket and sitting on it for 18 hours might have an adverse effect. The tech giant did, however, promise to replace those handsets that passed "a visual inspection."
For more, see iPhone 6 Bending and 10 Other Apple Product Glitches.