Now the iPad Pro is so skinny, might we see another Bendgate?
The newest iPad Pros are Apple's thinnest devices ever. And that's great, but I'm worried about them being a bit too thin
Apple just revealed new iPads in the line-up at an event in May. Headlining the event was the new iPad Pro. It packs a ton of new features, and even skips the m3 chipset to go straight to M4. But the one thing Apple kept talking about was how thin this new device is. The 2024 iPad Pro is Apple’s thinnest device. Ever. Even thinner than the iPod Nano. The 11-inch model clocks in at 5.3mm thin, and the 13-inch model is even skinnier at 5.1mm.
And that’s great. It makes the new slate easier to take around, chuck in a backpack, and so on. Thinner is always better, right? In theory, yes. But I’m worried that the new devices might be a little too thin. Might we even see another Bendgate?
Getting these new iPad Pro models so thin is mightily impressive. They’re thinner than the iPad Air now, which is supposed to be the lightweight option. Even the Apple Pencil is chunkier than the new pro slate. But I’m worried that makes them too thin, even though Apple claims they’re just as durable as the previous models.
Remember the iPhone 6 Plus? Apple made the smartphone so thin, that it started to bend when people sat down with it in their pockets. It picked up online pretty quickly, and became known as Bendgate. And I’m concerned we’ll see something similar happen with these new iPad Pros. A Bendgate 2.0, if you will.
But how will that happen – nobody sits with their iPads in their pockets? Correct, I assume. Unless you’ve got some monstrously large pockets. The risk to these iPads is getting damaged when on the move. If I’ve slipped it in my backpack, will it get damaged while it moves about. Worse yet, think about putting this thing in a suitcase. Or, and we’re talking Skynet-level catastrophe here, what if a kid gets hold of it and starts to be a little rough?
Apple’s words that these new iPad Pros are just as durable might not be as comforting as you’d think. YouTuber EverythingApplePro showed how vulnerable the 2020 iPad Pro was to bending when put under pressure (video above). With things getting thinner, the iPad is likely getting weaker. I’m worried we’ll get another Bendgate… and it’s putting me off buying one of these top slates.
Connor Jewiss
