Apple confirms some people's suspicions that the new 2018 iPads can bend
- Apple confirmed the suspicions of some 2018 iPad Pro owners that their device can be slightly bent.
- The company said it's due to the 2018 iPad Pro's manufacturing process and that it's not a defect.
- There's no replacement program in place. The only option for 2018 iPad Pro owners who want a replacement is to return their unit within the standard 14-day return window.
Some owners of Apple's 2018 iPad Pro have claimed the MacRumors forum that their devices have developed slight bends out of the box or over time, and Apple has confirmed to The Verge that it acknowledges the issue and it doesn't consider the bending a defect.
Whether they were shipped that way or developed a bend over time, the bend some owners have experienced shouldn't "worsen over time or negatively affect the flagship iPad Pro's performance," according to The Verge referring to Apple's confirmation. Users have reported slight bends on both the smaller and larger-sized 2018 iPad Pros, and Apple says it's a side effect of the iPad Pro's manufacturing process.
Despite the confirmation of bending iPad Pros, Apple hasn't set up a replacement program. Owners of the new iPad Pros can still exchange their original unit for a replacement within the 14-day return period, but that could be too late for some. The 2018 iPad Pro was announced on October 30 and released for sale on November 7.
Apple hasn't experienced a higher-than-normal return rate for the 2018 iPad Pros, the company told The Verge.
Bending iPad Pros doesn't seem to be related to the ease at which they can bend under stress, as shown by popular YouTuber and destroyer of gadgets Zack Nelson of the JerryRigsEverything YouTube channel.
Business Insider has requested for comment from Apple, but has not immediately heard back.