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The iPhone 6’s notorious bending issue — also known as #bendgate — easily made the list of our top 3 biggest fails of the year. With only a few days left in 2014, we figured we’d add one more device to the list of smartphones that could potentially bend in your skinny jeans before we officially retire #bendgate once and for all (we hope).
As discovered by a now ex-Sony fan on Google+, the Sony Xperia Z3 isn’t immune to the “design flaw” that claimed the lives of so many iPhones (and made one YouTuber filthy rich). According to owner, the phone mysteriously and unexpectedly bent in a friend’s pant pocket. After bad experiences with previous Sony devices, he’s now ready to call it quits on all Sony smartphones for good.
“This is what happens when you put a Xperia Z3 in your pocket. I previously owned a Z1 and that blew up on me. This is my friends Z3, another friend has a Z3 compact and the back cracked from normal usage. Conclusion: Xperia Z Phones are subpar and not worth the money, too many failures to ignore.“
As a current (very happy) owner of the Sony Xperia Z3 Compact, I’d say the glass backing does make me a bit nervous, but after a few minor drops I can say it’s definitely much more durable than that old Nexus 4 I used to own.
As our smartphones become larger with every iteration, it’s kind of funny how manufacturers still feel the need to keep that slim profile (sometimes even sacrificing battery capacity as a result). Seems like it’s only normal to expect that a firm amount of pressure could cause just about any smartphone to bend, but I think you have to be extra careful when they’re made of metal like the Xperia Z3.
What say ye? Anyone have a Sony or any other make smartphone that bent in your jeans? Should OEMs be concerned about their smartphones bending in their customers’ skinny jeans?
I never had any issues with the build quality of my Z3. I only had issues with it twice having an instant, phantom battery drain.
I’d call in the warranty it’s probably a defective battery had a similar issue with my moto 360
People dont turn in phones when they have defects. They blame the software and go on blogs crying how Android should update their phones to fix it. I once had an HTC G2, had massive touch screen problems out of the box. Guess what i did ? Brought it right back and got one that worked properly.
It depends on where you got your phone. If you bought it from a brick and mortar store, it’s easier to return it than if you ordered it online.
True. I was merely saying that there are people in the world that will not accept the fact that they got a defective device and instantly blame the software.
Actually, yes, I did initially blame the software. But not Android itself, rather, an app that I used for my wallpaper, Simple Image Wallpaper. Why? Because the second time I had the issue, my wallpaper was reverted to stock which said to me that the app had issues and force closed itself.
Sometimes, the software IS the problem. Even if its not the OS itself. But also refer to another Phandroid article where Lollipop has a memory leak issue. Exchanging phones with Lollipop may not fix that issue either.
True, it won’t. I’ve just seen comments where a phone has one issue or another and they think its a software issue and keep the phone while complaining about it on the internet. They could have brought it back, or sent it back and got one with no issues. The Lollipop problem ,obviously don’t count, its a proven and confirmed problem.
The Lollipop problem does count. You can’t discount it because it’s a “proven and confirmed” problem.
Maybe I worded that a bit confusingly. I meant the Lollipop memory problem IS a real problem with the actual software. Changing phones won’t help. A problem such as a unresponsive touch screen or random reboots is one that can be solved by replacing the phone with a new one. Not a software problem but rather a hardware problem. Some people can’t make that distinction and proceed to bash the OS and software , when the software is fine.
A random reboot can be a software problem as well. An application with issues can cause random reboots. There are a lot more issues with software that exist than you seem to realize.
The REAL problem with phones today is the lack of understanding how they actually work by the end user, salesperson, and “technical support” teams. The tech support teams are usually technologically ignorant and trained with the basic needs to answer a phone and read bullshoy off a computer screen that is “standard protocol” when it comes to troubleshooting a phone. The answer, if not fixed, is then to exchange the device out if under warranty or tell them they are SOL if they aren’t.
As the failure in Comcast’s “customer support” team has proven anything, it’s that even the tech support folks are still salespeople at the end of the day.
I personally have been working with used phones for 5 years and have learned a lot along the way. I am in no ways a genius when it comes to phones, but I know a lot more issues are either user error or minor software glitches that can be fixed with 10 minutes of time and a Google search or YouTube video. That applies to iOS, Android, and Blackberry. Have never had issues crop up with Windows OS phones.
I love my Z3. I’ve taken it swimming, snowboarding, hiking, and out on the town in the tightest pants in all the land. This is my first Sony and I’ll be grabbing the next one on Jump. They’ve converted me.
Absolutely love this puppy.
Solution, store it in your front pocket.
There’s no bendgate, just dense people who sit on their phones.
And wear pants that are a tad too tight.
Solution… STOP WEARING SKINNY JEANS. /s
Honestly tho, my OPO survives in between jeans, wallet, keys, etc. Throw a case on your phone and leave worries behind.
Again, that would imply these people have common sense. They dont want a case because they want to show off their phone, but will cry like a little girl when they drop it and it shatters into pieces. Then theyll blame the manufacturer for not making it tougher. Protect your tech, its that simple, stuff happens, its a simple fact of life. I put a screen protector and a case on every new phone i get even before i turn it on for the first time. I call it an investment.
I couldn’t have said it better myself.
Minus the screen protector (can’t stand them and never had an issue without one) I agree.
So did my nexus 6….bent it back and looks like new….and no I wasn’t wearing skinny jeans…..
Oh man that Nexus 4 article still gets me going.
How bout instead of people complaining about this, they simply stop putting phones in their back pockets ? Put it in the front pocket. It also eliminates the chance that someone will swipe it right out of your back pocket. But that would just be common sense. We cant expect people that expect a slim form factor phone not to bend when sitting on it, to change pockets. Of course its the manufacturers fault. Maybe we should be able to step on, and run over our phones with cars. Damn manufacturers. They should be ashamed. Right ? The world is so dumb sometimes.
My thoughts exactly. I have a Z3 and still in perfect condition. It’s thin and light, the way I like it. It’s durable for what it is. It doesn’t take too much effort to take care of it.
I came here to ask this very question. Are they keeping their phones in their back pockets? If so I have no sympathy. I’m quite amazed people do that in the first place.
Because some of us don’t have room in our front pockets or don’t want to be nuking our junk or don’t want to have a flat panel bulge in the front of our pants…. the reasons are many.
Says the dude wearing skinny jeans.
Funny part about all of that? I don’t wear skinny jeans. Never have. Never will. Ooops. Now what?
Sounds like your clothes are too tight if you’re worried about it bulging out. Seriously, what’s good about sitting your 100+ pounds of weight on top of a $600 phone? Its a dumb idea no matter what excuse you come up with.
Who said anything about sitting on it? Sounds like you have no common sense. And no, my clothes are far from too tight. I size them so I can still move and work out in them if need be and don’t bind. That said, even a small smartphone these days will leave an unflattering flat panel bulge up front. If you don’t think so, you might need to ask someone else for some fashion advice.
I don’t get it either. I don’t even keep my wallet in my back pocket because I don’t like the feel of sitting on it. And I still just can’t wrap my mind around why anyone would think its a good idea to sit on their $500-$1000 mini computer.
And to the guy who is worried about nuking his junk… If you buy into the cell phone radiation / cancer ” studies ” then putting it near your ass isn’t much better, 2 words.. Colon cancer. Let’s not make lame excuses for your weird habit of sitting on expensive things. And if you insist on doing that heres a thought.. Take it out of your pocket before you sit down.
I already thought of that, I don’t sit on mine. Derp!
Couldn’t have said that better myself. Lol.
My Z3C is OK. Still, Glasses make me nervous too. Sony should use different materials. I’d like hard rubber on Z4. btw, when do you think Z4 will be out? at CES? or MWC? I bet on latter
Yes its true drawback of big screen its not pocket friendly.
Or you could stop making phones with cheap, weak metal. Get it through your heads people, there’s nothing premium about aluminum!
Yep….plastic is way better…
I will say there are different types of aluminum. They are alloys so there are different mixtures, hardness and qualities involved.
I lol’d
So what do you suggest we use? Tungsten? Titanium?
Carbon nanotubes.
If they made phones of strong metal then the complaints would switch to “the phone is too heavy, feels like I’m carrying a brick”. Its a no win scenario for people that make excuses for complaining about god near everything.
Or devices could just be made out of plastic, but not be stupidly thin
My nexus 5 is also slightly bend but not in a way that it bothers me. I didn’t even notice it till it was laying face down on the table.
Glass backs on smartphones = fools gold.
Z3v no bend….Had it over a month.
That’s because it’s really a Z2.
LOL
It seems like the only ones calling for thinner phones are internal R&D departments. I don’t know one person who wouldn’t give up a couple millimeters for more battery capacity.
Agreed I personally don’t mind phones as thick as 1-1.5 inches myself if it makes the battery last several days.
Or perhaps marketing – “our phone is 1 mm thinner than the next thinnest phone!”
I vote for guys not wearing skinny jeans
Who says this was a guy in this story? Are women not allowed to wear skinny jeans either? Or are they not allowed to own smartphones?
I clearly said “guys”. Women should definitely wear skinny jeans and own a smart phone. Skinny jeans are for women, smartphones are for everyone.
But the same still applies even for women. Stop putting your expensive tech in your back pocket where you may sit on it or get it stolen. Skinny jeans or no skinny jeans.
Holding the z3, it feels flimsy like it will bend easily. That was my first impression. I imagine it would bend in my front pocket not just my back pocket, no I dont wear skinny jeans but these phones are so large they dont fit well in pants. HTC metal build will stand up to it, not the ultra light z3. when you want ultra thin + big screen you have to sacrafice strength it seems. Sure iphone 6 has an awesome metal build but its so light and thin, it bends. No surprise on the z3 here to me…anxious to see what z4, m9, g4, s6 come out with. I am guessing all will be metal builds to copy of iphone 6 which nobody can deny is beatiful to hold.
With my Note 3, first thing I did is buy a ultra high capacity battery; sure it makes for a much thicker device but the battery lasted days. The thing is few people are like me anymore I refuse to try and stuff a $800 device in a pocket, I use a horizontal pouch attached to my belt. Now I have a Nexus 6, super slim and sorry no battery replacement but I does not go in a pocket.
For all the people that made fun of the Z3v, HA HA. The Z3v doesn’t seem affected by the #bendgate, has better camera/display, doesn’t leak like the Z3. For all those that taunted the Z3v for being like a Z2, how do you feel now?
I love my Z3v.
I think T4rd is jealous, T4rd must have gotten the Z3 and put it in water and it leaked through the lanyard hole, it had the blurry spot on the camera or bent. Ignore people like T4rd, they are just jealous we have the best of the Z3 line.
I just saw this and seriously lol’d. What a moron (you), hahaha. +1 for the laugh!
And no, I’m on Verizon too, so I can’t have the (real/better) Z3. ;-p
I feel the same because the Z3v is still a Z2. =p
Jealous are we? Best Z3, the Z3v. Z2 or not out performs the Z3. Pwned!
Presumptuous are we? I couldn’t care less how it compares. I was just stating that’s it’s still a Z2. You can push your hyper nerd glasses back up now. ;-)
Then why is it called the Z3v? Shouldn’t it just be called Z2v then?
So you built the Z3v and know it is just a Z2? WOW glad to talk to the builder of a phone, can you answer some questions for me?
Oh and in a retort don’t quote lame journalist.
Because it took Verizon 6+ months to launch it, it was leaked several times before the Z3 was even announced. So by the time Verizon released it, they had to call it the Z3v so it seemed current. It has the Z2s design, camera sensor (half the ISO range of the Z3s), the Z2s (older, less power efficient and bright) display, and the Z2s battery.
I’m not sure why you’re even arguing this as you don’t have to be the OEM to figure this out. Try using the internet instead of being an ignorant comment troll.
Like this (you click this link in case you don’t know how the internet works ;-)): http://www.mobileburn.com/23614/news/sonys-xperia-z3v-is-actually-an-xperia-z2-variant
Yep see there, you did it.
Don’t believe everything you read on the net.
Sony calls it the Z3v, Sony would get into lots of trouble if it was a Z2 and called it a Z3v. If you are correct maybe I should sue Sony for millions for falsely advertising a phone of one model as another. Think I will win?
Yup, see there, you did it.
You ignored the evidence, even with citations. Don’t ignore everything you read on the net. No, Sony wouldn’t be sued for that. I’m done feeding you now. Sorry bruh, you lost. but I’m sure you’ll want the last word and you can have it. Kthxbai.
I haven’t used a Z3 in person but my Z2 has been faultless since I got it in June.
Not a hiccup in use and not even a scratch.
I suppose this is to be expected if we want thin and light devices with large screens. Unless there is a light, cheap but extremely hard metal which they could use, we need to be aware of the possibility of bending.
Personally I have a Z2, which I got in July, and it’s fantastic. I’ve owned exclusively iPhones for the last couple of years and was an Apple fanboy but this Sony is by far superior in my opinion. It’s easily the best phone I’ve ever used. There is no lag at all, has great build quality, gorgeous design and has the longest list of features you’ll ever find on a smartphone.
I’m sure the Z3 must be just as awesome but they have given up a little rigidity by going for lightness and thinness instead.
This might be some isolated case .As he had a prev case .. there must be something they are doing wrong … I am always careful when i put my phone in my jeans .. when i sit i usually take it out .. i can feel the amount of pressure it will be on … So as soon as u take care of it properly i doubt anything like tht will happen
Z3 n Z3 compact are the best phones in the market …
My Z’s been to hell and back in the almost 2 years that I’ve had it and it still works like day one. To clarify “hell and back”: fell on cement, fell on tiles, fell off a pier (hitting the support poles on the way down and being all but submerged in mud for 20 minutes), got smacked into a toilet bowl, and have gone swimming. Umm.. Almost forgot, went white water rafting with it as well. Simply put, it is the toughest phone I’ve ever owned. I will never buy any other brand ever again.
Ps: The wifes Z3C has also had no issues since we got it at launch.