Apple sort of admits iPhone overheating issues....

roffir · Jul 3, 2009

Article from PCWorld:

Apple has issued a warning on its support pages regarding iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS overheating, marking the first time the company has officially acknowledged the problem. Reports that the iPhone 3GS is having overheating problems have surfaced last week, merely days after the devices was launched.

Over the last few days, many iPhone 3GS users have been reporting that Apple's new iPhone 3GS is getting abnormally hot when used in various environments. PC World's Melissa J. Perenson noted in her report that she was experiencing the same phenomenon with her new 16GB iPhone 3GS.

Various U.S. gadget sites such as as Gizmodo and Engadget have circulated reports of the same problem, and PC World's Tech Inciter David Coursey, a hot iPhone 3GS owner as well, was even discussing a possible iPhone 3GS recall from Apple. Others have even claimed a discoloration of the iPhone's back cover due to the device running very hot.

Though Apple has not officially acknowledged a problem with the new iPhone 3GS, the company has now issued a warning on its support knowledge base, basically putting the blame on users. The warning prompts users not to leave their phones in a car because temperatures in parked cars can exceed the -20º and 45º C (-4º to 113º F) range the iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS were designed to function in properly.

Apple says in the support article that "if the interior temperature of the device exceeds normal operating temperatures, you may experience the following as it attempts to regulate its temperature: the device stops charging, display dims, and/or weak cellular signal."

Apple also posted an image (above) of an overheated iPhone screenshot with a message that appears when the operating temperature of the devices is too hot. The company says this is a safety mechanism that protects the components of the iPhone 3G/3GS.

Other conditions that Apple deems as possible overheating causes are: leaving the phone in direct sunlight for extended amounts of time or using certain applications in hot conditions or direct sunlight for a long time. An Apple overheating scenario is using GPS tracking in a car on a sunny day or listening to music while in direct sunlight.

Apple further advises hot iPhone 3G and 3GS owners to turn their device off when the above-mentioned temperature warning appears on screen and move it to a cooler environment, allowing the iPhone to cool down before resuming use.

Apple has sold over one million iPhone 3GSs since the device launched on June 19.

Strukt · Jul 5, 2009

As far as I know you shouldn't leave any kind of electronics in direct sunlight for a long time...

It is at least good the iPhone come with an warning message, no?

Doug b · Jul 5, 2009

What a poor move on Apples part to pull this PR stunt. So now all of a sudden people have forgotten how to properly care for their phones, and they are to blame for over heating issues ? Hilarious. Glad I decided to wait. Disappointing that they won't fess up and take responsibility (YET)

vxd · Jul 5, 2009

I guess these are some methods on how to cool down the iphone.

Hahaha

the8thark · Jul 6, 2009

Personally I blame Apple for this. For not putting the optimal operating temperatures for the iphones. But the fact they don't like some temperatures, well that's normal. Most electronic gadgets have an optimal temperature range they work best in.

You can't say "ah through it in the oven, crank it up to 200C, it'll be alright". That's just madness. People should look after their gadgets. And people say in a hot car it will over heat. Sure it will if the car is all locked up in the sun. But 2 things:

1. If the inside of the car is 45C+ then I think anyone inside it would be really hot and would be trying to cool it down just to survive in there.

2. If the car is all locked up and the iphone is in there - silly you. You want your car broken into? Having in iphone in your car makes it a sitting target for thieves. Take your iphone with you when you get out of the car.

So the only thing amiss here is a missing warning label by apple. As according to Apple the phone will not die in slightly hot temperatures, only not work as it should. Get it back in normal temperatures and it's all good again.

So all this talk about apple doing something majorly wrong here. It's all a load of hype to me. Look after your iphone as you would your own body and you'll be just fine.

bargsbeer · Jul 6, 2009

Doug b said:
What a poor move on Apples part to pull this PR stunt. So now all of a sudden people have forgotten how to properly care for their phones, and they are to blame for over heating issues ? Hilarious. Glad I decided to wait. Disappointing that they won't fess up and take responsibility (YET)

Heck that's nothing remember the aluminum powerbooks with the faulty memory slots they completely ignored?

zacharace · Jul 6, 2009

the8thark said:
Personally I blame Apple for this. For not putting the optimal operating temperatures for the iphones. But the fact they don't like some temperatures, well that's normal. Most electronic gadgets have an optimal temperature range they work best in.

You can't say "ah through it in the oven, crank it up to 200C, it'll be alright". That's just madness. People should look after their gadgets. And people say in a hot car it will over heat. Sure it will if the car is all locked up in the sun. But 2 things:

1. If the inside of the car is 45C+ then I think anyone inside it would be really hot and would be trying to cool it down just to survive in there.

2. If the car is all locked up and the iphone is in there - silly you. You want your car broken into? Having in iphone in your car makes it a sitting target for thieves. Take your iphone with you when you get out of the car.

So the only thing amiss here is a missing warning label by apple. As according to Apple the phone will not die in slightly hot temperatures, only not work as it should. Get it back in normal temperatures and it's all good again.

So all this talk about apple doing something majorly wrong here. It's all a load of hype to me. Look after your iphone as you would your own body and you'll be just fine.

I agree. Common sense, people. And, if you use your iPhone for a couple hours straight, yeah, it might get a little hot.

bargsbeer · Jul 6, 2009

I think it goes both ways, Leaving the iPhone inside of the car is not an uncommon thing and therefore Apple should be prepared for that. From what I have seen some of these iPhones that are overheating so bad that they are changing colors (White model) If the iPhone is over heating I don't see how the user is to blame completely. People who work outside or like myself in Florida where it's over 90 degrees all day long,The phone needs to be able to handle that kind of use, I understand it's somewhat delicate but were not talking about a Macbook Pro.

MacTrooper · Jul 8, 2009

Well, I daresay it is not just a matter of the ambient temperature in which your are operating the phone. I was in my air conditioned home last week listening to a baseball game through the MLB At Bat app and noticed that the phone (a 3G w/ 3.0) got a lot warmer than I had ever felt it before. I wasn't completely taken by surprise, since the phone has always heated up whenever I've had a longer phone call, but in this particular incident it was significantly warmer. Mind you, the device did not shut down or warn me, but I can imagine that prolonged operating temps like the one I experienced while listening to streaming audio through an Apple-approved app could damage the phone both cosmetically and electronically. And that, in my opinion, is Apple's issue to solve.