
Just days after their launch, a handful of somewhat worrying images appeared online showing iPhone 6 and 6 Plus smartphones which had bent, apparently after having been kept in their owners’ pockets while sitting. Both Apple and independent reports have suggested that cases of bending are extremely rare, but even so, “bendgate” continues to play on consumers’ minds, no doubt in part due to Apple’s competitors playing it to their advantage and a few overly zealous Android fanboys sharing images of bent iPhones with such frequency that you’d swear they were on Samsung or HTC’s payroll.
Japanese designer and photographer Tatsuya Tanaka, however, is so confident that his iPhone 6 won’t bend that he enlisted the help of 100 tiny friends to put it to the test. As it happens, Apple’s newest smartphone can even take the weight of a zebra, giraffe, polar bear and elephant before it comes anywhere near to getting a case of the bends…
Tatsuya Tanaka is well-known for his love of small things. Earlier this year, we introduced you to his incredible Miniature Calendar, which features Borrower-sized figures going about their day, sawing through snacks as if they were giant logs, sheltering beneath sprigs of broccoli, and getting lost in toilet paper snowdrifts.
Yesterday morning, however, Tanaka took to his Twitter account to share a photo of his new iPhone 6 Plus lying face-down on a couple of wooden blocks. Judging from the weight he put the phone under, these things are clearly made of tougher stuff than we’re giving them credit for.
▼ “October 2, Tue. There has been a lot of talk lately about the iPhone 6 ‘bending’, but it’s clear that even with 100 people on it, it’s perfectly fine. *Photo is an iPhone 6 Plus”
[tweet https://twitter.com/tanaka_tatsuya/status/517452526170304512 align=center]There you have it, folks: an iPhone 6 may bend if you keep it in the back pocket of your skinny jeans, but if you ever find yourself in a room with an elephant, giraffe, or even a grazing cow, you’ll probably be fine.
Source/photo: Twitter – Tatsuya Tanaka

Here’s an easy way to check if the new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus will fit in your pocket
The giant iPhone 6 Plus is most popular in Asia
Can you unlock your new iPhone 6 Plus with your nipple? We can! 【Video】
We road test the new Digital Image Stabilization on the iPhone 6 Plus – with a vibrator
People are getting into fights outside Apple stores because no one in China can buy an iPhone 6
Nike x One Piece collection brings Devil Fruits to sneakers and streetwear in Japan
Nephew of Studio Ghibli director Hayao Miyazaki serves up Totoro Shaved Ice in Tokyo
Data suggests increased bear sightings have led to a decrease in mountain climbers across Japan
Nagoya’s famous Shinkansen platform noodle shop has other, better branches nearby
Police in Japan looking for who’s responsible for dumping 80 loaves of bread on side of road [Video]
Pikachu and other Pokémon evolve into hydration types with Thermos drinkware collaboration [Pics]
Winnie the Pooh cosplays as Yuzuru Hanyu for new plushie collaboration
Japan’s double-decker portable rice cooker/bento maker is better than ever with new version
Osaka Starbucks has one of the city’s coolest photo vantage points, but it’s going away soon
We recommend not buying one pack of Japan’s new convenience store corn soup-flavor fried chicken
7-year-old boy left behind on Mt. Fuji by his own dad
Sushi Bus: Japan’s first conveyor-belt bus lets you eat sushi while sightseeing around Tokyo
Studio Ghibli unveils new interactive stationery dioramas that bring anime movies to life on your desk
Studio Ghibli composer Jo Hisaishi just set three Guinness Records
Anime fans can now wear a Seiko watch inspired by Japan’s One Piece Shinkansen
7-Eleven Japan brings back best-selling flat croissant that became a hit on social media
Foreign hiker on Mt. Fuji loses consciousness and dies, becoming climbing season’s second fatality
Universal Studios Japan partners with manga horror master Junji Ito’s Tomie
Starbucks Japan releases two new seasonal drinks that blur the line between summer and autumn
12-year-old British girl who went missing in Tokyo found safe after visiting anime sites around Yokohama
Air-conditioned dress shirts arrive in Japan to save working professionals from sweltering heat
Pokémon Center Online designates first Pokémon items that will require Japanese ID card to buy
Japanese toilet aims to attract foreign tourists but not everybody is happy about it
Tokyo’s newest viral dessert is like a Japanese parfait inside a bread bun [Taste test]
New Japanese vending machine at Shinkansen station sells cups of ice on platform
Study finds hundreds of people in Indonesia legally named after Naruto, Inuyasha, other anime stars
Japanese vending machine sells freshly squeezed lemon juice with a futuristic light show
Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Studio Ghibli has a new anime out, and there’s only one place in the world where you can see it
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Tokyo subway installing new ticket gates that don’t accept payment through Suica or other IC cards
Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad
Salomon releases Japan-exclusive Mt. Fuji hiking gear that doubles as an amazing souvenir
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
The morning after: The trash-ridden aftermath of the iPhone 6 release in Hong Kong
Small hands? Japanese Twitterer gets creative and makes handy case for the wider iPhone 6
Mr. Sato shows up in costume, is the first to purchase an iPhone 6 Plus, meets Ken Watanabe AGAIN
iPhone iOS6 Map Takes Our Reporter on a Quest for the Pachinko Gundam Train Station
iPhone 6 launch keeps Chinese customs officials busy as they seize hundreds of smuggled units
It’s a boogie wonderland as Japanese cell phone provider desperately advertises iPhone 6
7 Reasons the iPhone 6 is a piece of junk (according to Japanese otaku)
COZENI turns your iPhone or iPad’s home button into a shiny, tiny Japanese coin
Just bought an iPhone 6? Keep it safe and stylish with a Sailor Moon case
Chinese man locked out of his iPhone for 45 years
Why is the iPhone the smartphone of choice for young Japanese women?
Your iPhone is embarrassingly bad at simple math
Japan belongs to Apple: iPhone claims top 10 spots in total smartphone sales in November
Pokemon smartphones: Why Apple created the colorful iPhone 5c
New iPhone XS commercial features a tricked-out “dekotora” truck with a tear-jerking story
New iPhone Attachment Takes It Back to ’07, By Which We Mean 1907