As they say, the bigger you are, the harder you fall. Or at least the Internet seems to have it for Apple lately. If #bendgate didn’t prove enough of a PR distraction in the aftermath of the long-awaited iPhone 6 release, now #hairgate is proving to be another thorn in the side for the tech giant.
Apple have long been denoted as the hipsters’ Mecca; a generation of bearded men with thick-rimmed glasses in brogues with no socks clamoring for a piece of the action. Now it looks as if the products are turning on their devoted disciples as a large number of social media users have complained that the seam between the case and the screen is catching onto beard hairs and pulling them out.
It might not be the greatest setback in history, but it’s enough to make the eyes water if it ever happens to you. As is the trend, any number of parodies making fun of the latest slice of Apple’s bad fortune are circulating around the net:
Some prototypes of first iPhone had an epilatory quality, according to 2013 book on Jony Ive. #beardgate #hairgate pic.twitter.com/CcVoFLozOY
— Adam Khan (@Khanoisseur) October 8, 2014
Solution for iPhone 6 #Hairgate – Exclusive to @Kogan http://t.co/1Xe00Vgoqv pic.twitter.com/97cngaRcXA
— Ruslan Kogan (@ruslankogan) October 9, 2014
After using the iPhone 6 for two-weeks! #HairGate pic.twitter.com/nIBczw6aea
— Shazly Makeen (@mack005) October 7, 2014
In the grand scheme of things this is a minor problem but people love firing their slingshots against Goliaths so when a chance presents itself, it’s hard for some to refuse.
What can be learned from #hairgate? Two things: 1) maybe you should spend less time with the phone glued to the side of your head. 2) Keep your facial hair tidy!
Of course, not everybody is completely unkempt. Some users state that running a finger along the edge of the phone reveals just how abrasive the phone’s seam can be. While a total product recall would be expensive, almost impossible to control and tremendously damaging to the company’s reputation, a little more consideration when actually making the thing would be a start.
