Here's a summary of the design flaw as I see it:
Here is the weak point as viewed externally.
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From
iFixit's teardown, here are the internal reenforcements.
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Note that Apple chose to use a series of short steel plates in lieu of a single continuous steel plate. Had they chose the latter, the phone would not have pivot points at the ends of each plate. The meager reenforcements are "good enough," save a few cents, and make for a slightly lighter phone. A continuous steel angle or I-beam could have been used without altering the size of the phone and would have resulted in a virtually unbendable device. They probably used a formula to predict the cost of iPhone replacements vs. increased manufacturing costs, yet Apple's reputation was not factored in. It's a typical American business mistake - even Apple is not immune.
As a result of Apple's flawed design (under a test that doesn't even exploit the weak discontinuity at the volume buttons), the competition is about 150% more resistant to bending:
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In
only a few days, we already have 9-10 reported iPhone bends. Stress is additive for aluminum, so with time phones will grow more prone to bending. Figure that for several years, each person with a bent iPhone will show it to everyone he knows, and factor in the social media amplification, and the result is irrepairable harm to Apple's reputation as a maker of high end quality products.
The diminished reputation occures with people see others with bent phones. Whether it is "stupid" to carry a phone in one's pocket is irrelevant, since all that matters is what other people see. Take a cashier who sees mobile phones all day long: if he sees more bent iPhones, he'll reach a conclusion. This is why a rigid phone is so important to Apple's reputation. Surely any Apple defender wants Apple to do well - I know I do as a longtime Mac user.
