Defect is breaking iPhone 6 handsets, claims iFixit

  iFixit has detailed an apparent design flaw with Apple's iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus handsets which can result in the screen flickering and becoming unresponsive to touch.

Describing the issue as "Touch Disease", iFixit claims it has affected a large number of handsets, particularly the iPhone 6 Plus model, according to repair technicians that it has consulted. At the core of the problem are two chips that can become detached from the circuit board of each model over time as a result of touch-screen usage.

The problem becomes worse as the solder connection between the chips and the circuit board increasingly degrade.

"You might notice that the screen is sometimes unresponsive, but it is quick to come back with a hard reset," iFixit details in a blog post. "As the crack deepens into a full separation of the chip-board bond, the periods of no touch function become more frequent."

Initially, the problem can be alleviated by pressing down on the screen or twisting the phones body, but this workout won't work beyond a certain point and a permanent solution is yet unavailable.

"If the issue is as widespread as repair pros suspect, then Apple should start offering customers solutions instead of excuses. And they need to do it soon," iFixit's blog post reads.