NeoBytes :) is an occasional feature that takes a step back from the big headlines, to take a look at what else is happening in the vast, scary expanse of the tech world - often with a cynical eye, always with a dose of humour.
After Antennagate, Scuffgate and Mapsgate, came Bentgate/Bendgate, as Apple"s latest products stood accused of bending without significant force or pressure being exerted upon them. Apple later played down the scale of those reports, claiming that just nine people - out of millions that had bought its new iPhone 6 and 6 Plus - had complained of their handsets bending in this way.
But now Apple is facing fresh complaints from buyers of its new devices, which have gained traction thanks to the embarrassingly awful hashtag, #hairgate. Thankfully, no-one is taking this new, um, "scandal" particularly seriously, and reports of the issue have been gradually emerging around the world with plenty of good humour.
The complaints, such as they are, claim that the new iPhones are trapping owners" hair in the seams of the handset"s bodywork while they"re on a call, and then pulling the hairs out when the user moves the device away from their face to end the call.
In the kind of hard-hitting investigative reporting that its readers expect and demand, The Guardian"s technology news team fearlessly put numerous handsets - including the iPhone 6 - to the test, bravely rubbing the devices over their faces, despite the horrifying peril of getting their hair painfully plucked.
Reporter Hannah Jane Parkinson escaped unscathed from the ordeal, with all hair remaining where it was supposed to be, but her colleague Alex Hern was not so lucky. The Amazon Fire Phone, Sony Xperia Z3, Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and BlackBerry Passport didn"t interfere with his follicles at all, but after some vigorous rubbing, the iPhone 6 savagely plucked numerous hairs from his beard.
Indeed, the problem appears to target facial hair more or less exclusively, so bearded ladies and gentlemen should consider this carefully while weighing up whether or not to buy one of the new iPhones. Of course, an iPhone 6 could be a worthwhile investment for helping to get rid of unwanted hair on the move.
Be sure to check out The Guardian"s report for exclusive footage of their intrepid journalists rubbing themselves with various phones. They do it so you don"t have to - heroes, one and all.
Source: The Guardian