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Court case reveals that Apple knew ‘bendgate’ was going to happen

But they blatantly lied to us

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Throughout the years, Apple has stumbled on oodles of controversies. However, none has so far eclipsed 2014’s massive “bendgate” scandal. Almost four years after the issue, new records have revealed that Apple knew more than they were letting on.

To recap, “bendgate” refers to the iPhone 6’s and 6 Plus’ uncanny susceptibility to physically bending given enough pressure. Despite cases popping up around the world, Apple vehemently denied the issue’s existence.

According to the company’s QA department, bent phones were just rare exceptions to the norm. They even highlighted their stringent quality control to demonstrate that bending wasn’t an issue.

Even then, hardy critics kept intentionally breaking their phones, further aggravating the issue. New cases kept popping up. As a result, several complainants filed cases against the company, stating that Apple knew but covered up the issue prior to launch.

Now, with the investigation well underway, US District Court judge Lucy Koh has revealed internal court documents submitted by Apple. During the investigation, the court required Apple to submit testing results prior to the iPhone 6’s launch.

Among other things, the documents revealed that Apple knew that their phones suffered from a bending defect. Even worse, Apple knew exactly how bendable their phones were. According to the report, Apple knew that “the iPhone 6 was 3.3 times more likely to bend than the iPhone 5s… and that the iPhone 6 Plus was 7.2 times more likely to bend than the iPhone 5s.”

Further, Koh reveals that Apple made quiet changes to the iPhone 6’s engineering more than a year after the launch. Too little too late, the change nevertheless increased the phone’s resistance against bending.

Clearly, this runs counter to Apple’s adamant claim that the issue doesn’t exist. While the documents favor the complainants, the court case come a tad bit too late since Apple has already barreled through several iterations since then.

If anything, Apple has learned from its mistakes, more readily admitting to issues that plague iPhones. That, or the company has learned to hide its faults better.

SEE ALSO: You’ll get $50 if you replaced an iPhone’s battery out of warranty

News

Lionel Messi’s face just unveiled the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra early

Technically, it’s a custom Caviar phone with Messi’s face on it.

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Image source: Caviar

And just like that, the World Cup season is over. Spain prevailed over Argentina in a 1-0 caper. Despite the loss, however, Argentinian superstar Lionel Messi is (indirectly) leaving us a little surprise by spoiling the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra a few days early.

Technically, it’s not Messi himself doing the spoiling. Caviar, the infamous luxury smartphone company, has revealed an extravagant Lionel Messi-themed edition of the unannounced Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra.

As with the brand’s other creations, the special smartphone is covered in 24-karat gold plating. The design is styled to look like Messi and the colors of the Argentinian football team.

Image source: Caviar

Now, before you say that this design is worthless now after the loss to Spain, the edition is meant to celebrate the 2022 win, exemplified by the badge on Messi’s shirt saying “2022”. And even then, Messi is still one of the most globally recognized sports personalities in the world, making this quite the collector’s item.

However, if you’re looking for any hardware leaks, you’re out of luck. The listing has no mention of specs, except for the storage, which includes options for 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB. Other than that, you’ll have to wait like the rest of us.

Additionally, if you’re interested in the Messi-themed edition, it will cost you a fortune. Caviar’s Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra will start at a whopping US$ 13,130.

Besides its nature as a special edition, this phone is the most official thing we’ve seen of the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra. Samsung is still scheduled to launch the new foldable, along with other models, in a few days. The brand is also rumored to launch a wide version of this model.

SEE ALSO: New leak reveals first look at Samsung’s wide foldable

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Automotive

Mercedes-Benz celebrates 140th anniversary at the Presidential Car Museum

A generation’s worth of presidential Benz models under one roof

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Last month, Mercedes-Benz Philippines kicked off its 140th -anniversary “Welcome Home” campaign. Designed to celebrate the iconic Chedeng and introduce a new generation to the brand, the campaign attracts old and new customers alike. Now, the brand’s 140th year is also hitting history buffs with a special showcase at the Presidential Car Museum in Quezon City.

Since President Cory Aquino’s term, the official presidential car has been a Benz, offering comfort and protection for the current head of state. It is here where Mercedes-Benz wants to celebrate the legacy of the brand, especially in the annals of Philippine history.

Amid the cars of Presidents Aquino, Ramos, Estrada, and Macapagal-Arroyo, Mercedes-Benz is displaying a replica of the Benz Patent-Motorwagen Replica, which is the world’s first automobile introduced by Karl Benz in 1886. The replica will be on display until December 2026.

Outside the Presidential Car Museum, Mercedes-Benz is running discounts through the end of July. There are also special aftersales services for those who already own a Benz. Finally, the brand will continue to run activations throughout the anniversary, so expect to hear a lot more about the Chedeng throughout the year.

SEE ALSO: Mercedes-Benz holds a Welcome Home campaign to celebrate 140 years

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Samsung releases teaser with Spider-Man: Brand New Day Easter eggs

Spot also teases upcoming Galaxy foldable devices

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Samsung has just premiered a new spot that showcases clips directly from Spider-Man: Brand New Dayjust a few weeks before the movie hits cinemas later this month.

The clip showcases Spider-Man as he fights crime and puts his phone through the wear and tear of superhero life.

In the spot, the Fabricator creates a number of devices for Spider-Man built to stand up to the pace and unpredictability of life behind the mask. This includes what clearly looks like a Galaxy Z Flip phone.

This provides a behind the scenes look into how Peter Parker ultimately landed on a Samsung phone — as fans speculated from the first trailer.

Meanwhile, Ned can also be seen using the Spidey Tracker to try and catch Spider-Man throughout the city on his Samsung phone.

The campaign pretty much formalizes Jacob Batalon — who plays Ned Leeds — as Samsung’s Team Galaxy’s newest ambassador.

The clip ends with the text “A brand new shape for a Brand New Day”, which is also a callback to what the brand has been teasing regarding the future of its Galaxy foldable devices.

Samsung to release latest devices at Galaxy Unpacked

Next week, Samsung is set to launch its latest devices at Galaxy Unpacked 2026.

Ahead of the launch, customers who wish to reserve as early as now can get a US$ 30 credit during pre-order, for a total of up to US$ 1,230 in savings.

Customers can also enter a sweepstakes for a chance to win one of 10 US$ 500 Samsung.com gift cards towards their purchase.

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