14 DAY TRIAL // When the iPhone 6 debuted in late 2014, Bendgate took the spotlight, quickly becoming a widespread phenomenon. At the same time, another “gate” emerged, but one that was pronounced dead on arrival.
As it turns out, that new “gate” was in fact real. At least in some places on the globe. Canada seems to be receiving shipments of iPhones that are manufactured in a way that the seam between the glass and the metal enclosure is able to catch facial hair and pull it.
A painful experience
Users in Canada have found out the hard way that phones manufactured with this destination in mind (apparently) have larger seams around the screen and will pluck out hairs during usage.
A video published by Mashable literally “shows” how at least one guy’s beard gets pinched by the device, visibly pulling the skin around the plucked hair.
Unlike Bendgate, Hairgate stands little chance for media sensationalization, but it can’t be ignored nonetheless. Especially with Apple’s advertising material which almost always describe both the hardware and the software as “seamless.”
One theory is that not all assembly robots are calibrated well, resulting in slightly different iPhone. Perhaps even the thickness of the hair matters. In any case, it’s the type of thing that can actually convince some users to say pass.
Editor’s note
Personally, I’ve had this happen to me at least twice since I’ve owned the iPhone 6 Plus. I wouldn’t call it a thing necessarily, but it does happen. I have a normal sized-beard (just over 1 cm in length) which is apparently enough to cause this.
For the record, I’m thousands of miles away from Canada, so unless Apple ships the same type of iPhones to Romania, I’d say the issue is not connected to a particular version designed to make its way to the American continent.