Tech YouTuber discovers 'wild' issue with iPhone 16 that's only visible without a case

From iPhones to iPads, to AirPods to the Vision Pro headset, picking up an Apple product comes with a pretty pricey expectation.

However, just because it’s expensive, doesn’t mean devices, like the iPhone 16, aren’t riddled with some glaring issues.

Early adopters of the flashy current flagship iPhones have been dealing with screen issues which already warranted the iOS 18.0.1 update. This update fixed problems caused by the touchscreen freezing for both the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro.

However, no amount of software updates can remedy a problem that was recently discovered by beloved tech YouTuber Marques Brownlee.

The creator shared a clip on X (formerly Twitter), revealing the high-end smartphone wobbling on a table.

While on a flat service, after a couple of prods by Brownlee, the iPhone continues to shake - something the creator dubs as the ‘wobbliest slab phone I’ve ever seen.’

The X clip - shared on September 18, the same month as the iPhone 16’s launch - sparked a sea of criticisms on social media.

One X user replied: “After spending a year in designing and manufacturing and billions of dollars they created this.. Only Apple can do this [laughing emoji], fire the designer.”

Meanwhile, fellow Apple and Marques Brownlee fans alike pointed out the obvious — that the camera was to blame.

Another X user stated: “The fact that they still insist on having a camera bump is wild.”

Just as the many X users sussed out for themselves, the iPhone’s inability to lay completely flat on a flat service likely has its cameras to blame.

The smartphone has a dual-lens system, which protrudes from the back of the device.

With the cameras being located in the top-right corner, the phone doesn't have equal support. Just like that annoying wobbly chair in your favourite restaurant, this means the iPhone doesn’t have equal footing on a flat service.

As a luxury smartphone that - without a monthly contract - costs almost $1,000, you’d expect these kinds of glaring omissions not to be a factor.

Luckily, the problem can be rectified with the use of a phone case - something many iPhone users use. In the short clip shared by Brownlee, the pink iPhone 16 doesn’t have a case of its own, which can only be adding to its wobbly nature.

An official case, or as the X comments also suggest, adding an iPhone Wallet to the back could help bulk out the chassis to make it more steady.

Yet, for those who are already forking out over a thousand dollars, a quick fix of spending more for a case doesn't fix the problem. It just puts a pricey accessory, cost-bandage on top.

UNILAD Tech has contacted Apple for comment.