Are iPhones burning up in the infernos of processor overtaxation, or is it all a big misunderstanding?

Apple hasn't ever been great at this whole "heat dissipation" thing, but some new developments in the supposed overheating iPhone scandal of 2009 have us wondering how widespread or reproducible these problems might be. Here are a few semi-facts we've managed to amass:

• Somebody's white iPhone 3GS grew some ugly brown markings during heavy use.
• A new development is saying that the discoloration came from a case (pictured), not from cooking the plastic.
• More users than usual have been reporting an overheated iPhone error after the 3.0 update, but as Apple's support documentation points out, this could just be from the time of year (summer, in case you haven't been outside lately).
• There isn't a large mass of evidence denoting a major fault to the 3GS, 3.0 or chintzy white leather cases.

So, all that said, what's been your experience?

Can your iPhone beat the heat?

Yeah, none of these problems hereMy 3GS is a little warm, but not a serious problemMy 3GS overheats more than is reasonableMy 3GS has "burn marks" like this and I use a caseMy 3GS has burn marks like this and I don't use a caseMy older iPhone has started overheating after 3.0I don't have an iPhone, I'm just on my way to give those suckers grief in commentsVote

[Travis @ Jul 6th 2009 11:16AM]

Apple usually ignores problems at first but then does a fairly good job of remedying them. I hope that's the case here.

[MJZimmer88 @ Jul 6th 2009 11:21AM]

Agreed... 3.1 will probably solve these "heat issues" that Apple will again reaffirm don't really exist... and then I'll go buy upgrade my 3G assuming they're back in stock.

[The Observer @ Jul 6th 2009 11:26AM]

I have a remedy... nice 4" copper heatsink and the fan!

[Zak @ Jul 6th 2009 12:13PM]

I think that's unlikely, considering the "problem" appears to be one person who used a case on the iPhone and the case caused the discoloring. Doesn't seem like that has much to do with Apple at all.

For comparison, I live in a pretty hot climate and I use my 3GS outside all the time. It usually gets to 105-110 degrees every day this time of year. My iPhone has no problems with overheating at all. So what is Apple supposed to fix? The weather? Or the one 3rd party case that caused discoloration?

[Newone @ Jul 6th 2009 2:57PM]

There's a picture of 16G and a picture of 32G models with discoloration. Unless the same person bought 2 phones, which is unlikely, there's at least 2 people with coloring problems.

[Zak @ Jul 6th 2009 4:51PM]

And are they both using the same case? Because now multiple sources are saying the discoloration is related specifically to that one case, and the discoloration can even be removed because it's not the iPhone causing it, nor is the iPhone itself getting discolored - the case material is coming off.

Furthermore, 2 instances out of well over a million 3GS's sold is hardly an epidemic or even a problem at all.

[DirtyVegas @ Jul 7th 2009 3:28AM]

@ Zak

"For comparison, I live in a pretty hot climate and I use my 3GS outside all the time. It usually gets to 105-110 degrees every day"

I figured hell would be a lot hotter.

[MaX PL @ Jul 6th 2009 11:17AM]

yeh these new iphones suck.

[Larry @ Jul 6th 2009 11:17AM]

Mines fine, I'm wondering what all the hipe is about. I like my iphone!!

and yes I use is a lot...

[Shenanigans @ Jul 6th 2009 11:34AM]

Same here. Mine is on 7+ hours a day at my desk on a dock. It stays cooler then my 2G felt.

I downgraded to the 16GB white but had the 32GB originally. I accidentally left the screen on when it was plugged into my cars head unit. It was also in the iPod sock I use. I put it in a tray in my dash. The windows were down. This sat for an hour or so, maybe longer. It was honestly too hot too touch when I first grabbed it. I am not kidding! But I turned the screen off and it cooled quickly and there was no damage to the phone. No discoloration at all.

It has not gotten hot at all in comparrison to my 2G. I keep it in an iPod sock at all time except for when using it for obvious reasons.

Problems people are having could be any number of reasons. It cannot be just one. As long as Apple take care of its customers ASAP, all is well.

[Matthew @ Jul 6th 2009 11:17AM]

I don't have an Iphone, Engadget send me one and I'll rigorously test it so we can settle this

[Zole2112 @ Jul 6th 2009 11:17AM]

You shouldn't get an overheated iPhone error just because it's summer, thats ridiculous.

[Greg @ Jul 6th 2009 11:20AM]

what's ridiculous is a few dozen loud-mouthed people ranting and raving online about their "problematic" iphones. An error rate of a few dozen out of a several million is not newsworthy. If the Pre ever sells a few million devices, we'll see some higher instances of reported problems, above and beyond what's arleady been reported.

[cliff @ Jul 6th 2009 11:27AM]

Agreed!!

[Look_Around_You @ Jul 6th 2009 11:30AM]

"what's ridiculous is a few dozen loud-mouthed people ranting and raving online about their "problematic" iphones. "

Yeah, they ought to keep their mouths shut and be happy Apple allowed them to buy their products.

[Greg @ Jul 6th 2009 11:33AM]

Look Around You -

You're such a unbelievable tool. Complaining about your iPhone isn't the problem - pretending it's an epidemic is.

[Look_Around_You @ Jul 6th 2009 11:40AM]

@greg

You don't know how many, and are bashing the folks who have reported issues for having the never to speak up. then you go onto bash the Pre for its issues. apparently you have no issue with Engadget talking about that.

What? You don't want to know if this is a widespread issue, and therefore have Apple fix it, maybe protecting your phone from a similar fate?

Or do you just want everyone to cover for Apple so they dont get some bad PR?

[Rebajas @ Jul 6th 2009 11:40AM]

Yeah - it's not a problem unless a fanboi suffers. Who cares about anyone else...

[why not the LS2LS7? @ Jul 6th 2009 12:26PM]

That's great, because I don't! And I have a 3Gs!

Apple isn't saying you will get an overheated phone just because it's summer. Apple is saying if you see the overheating screen, it's probably because you left the phone in a hot location. They don't even address backs discoloring.

You're getting the "if" confused with the "then". It's not "if it's summer, your phone will overheat". It's not "if you use a case your phone will overheat". It's "if your phone overheats...", see, how the if clause is a much less common case?

If your 3Gs isn't overheating (and I don't know anyone whose is), you can ignore all this stuff.

[Kelmon @ Jul 6th 2009 1:19PM]

Totally agreed - I suspect the "this could just be from the time of year (summer, in case you haven't been outside lately)" line was probably added to get people's backs up. However, no device should cease to function as expected due to the time of the year as long as you use it in normal conditions (i.e. don't expect your battery life to be great if you take it on an arctic expedition). Certainly my current ancient Nokia doesn't stop working because it is hot outside and I damned sure do not expect a EUR 675 device to either. Progress surely means that these devices get more reliable, not worse.

[sweet greggo @ Jul 6th 2009 2:04PM]

@Greg

Not every person that owns an iphone posts on internets blogs. It's safe to assume the "few dozen" people reporting problems are not the only ones. There could be several hundred or even thousands.

[why not the LS2LS7? @ Jul 6th 2009 9:18PM]

Apple sold a million in a week. Several hundred would still not be a big deal, especially if many of them are due to user error/misunderstanding.

[UnixSystemsEngineer @ Jul 6th 2009 11:19AM]

I selected "grief in comments"

Stupid chinese cheapo $5 cigarette lighter -> USB adapter seems to have fried my 1st gen last week, so it keeps complaining about "the accessory connected is not compatible with iPhone" even when its not plugged into anything.

By sheer dumb luck I have a 3GS showing up this week.. it'll be nice to have keyclicks and text message alerts again.

[bethel03 @ Jul 6th 2009 11:20AM]

A co-worker of mine got his 3GS this past weekend and the guy at ATT suggested to get the black one since the white one has problems with turning different colors on it's own, OR when people leave it in the sun. Hahahaha.

Well I guess it's good he is somewhat telling the truth and it is being recognised.

[Greg @ Jul 6th 2009 11:22AM]

ugh, what a bunch of morons at AT&T stores. I bought my 3g at an AT&T store and will never go back there again for any further iPhone purchases Apple stores are a thousand times better.

[CJ @ Jul 6th 2009 12:03PM]

Yeah, how dare they attempt to help customers get the most life out of a product that they're going to own for at least two years!

Everybody should just go to the Apple store, where employees KNOW that they're better than you!

[Quix @ Jul 6th 2009 12:20PM]

CJ is just miffed that Microsoft hasn't opened *its* retail stores yet so he can't get in touch with his true fanboy...

Hate Different.

[David H. @ Jul 6th 2009 12:28PM]

Aw come on, CJ - at least complain about something real ;) This stuff about all Apple Store employees being snooty is for the birds. The folks at the Apple Store in Willowbend Mall, Plano TX (suburb of Dallas) have been pleasant and helpful without fail. From regular sales staff to the people at the Genius Bar, I've literally never had a bad experience there.

[Kelmon @ Jul 6th 2009 1:22PM]

Well done, AT&T. So, what we have here, unless the AT&T employee has access to data that the Internet doesn't, is someone disseminating unsubstantiated information as fact. Mind you, if they had personally witnessed this problem then I don't have an issue with them.

[Forrest @ Jul 6th 2009 6:07PM]

Every time I hear or read the words "Genius Bar" I throw up a little in my mouth.

There, I just did it again.

[Rob Bourne @ Jul 6th 2009 11:20AM]

Blaming the weather is completely out of order. Every other manufacturer isn't having a problem, it's just a sloppy excuse from a company who thinks their customers will actually believe it.

If you can't build a device that can withstand summer temperatures, you should be blaming yourselves.

[Zak @ Jul 6th 2009 1:10PM]

And yet my 3GS is just fine in the 110 temps I see here every day, so where do you think the problem really lies? Maybe it's exactly where it was suggested, with a 3rd party case that discolors the iPhone. Did that not occur to you?

[sweet greggo @ Jul 6th 2009 2:12PM]

Hey Zak, did it ever occur to you that some people might actually have a problem with an Apple product? It happens, you know. Sometimes products are just defective, for whatever reason.

If Apple doesn't specifically state in their fine print (believe it or not, they have it too!) that putting an aftermarket case on your phone voids the warranty, then they need to look into this before it becomes a real problem. Putting the onus on the user and the weather is not an acceptable stance.

[Zak @ Jul 6th 2009 5:10PM]

Oh I'm sorry Greggo, I forgot. You like imaginary holocausts when it comes to Apple. Considering that I can count the number of iPhones this has affected with the fingers on one hand, I don't think your argument has any merit.

So what's going to become a real problem again? The third party case material coming off on the iPhone so it looks like it's discolored? Tell you what, since you seem to be Google-impaired, here's a link for you:

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=fr&u=http://www.frenchiphone.com/2009/07/02/nouveau-cas-de-surchauffe-pour-liphone-3gs

You can clean the discoloration off with rubbing alcohol. You know why? Because it's not the iPhone that's doing it. Now take your little Apple hate parade and go think about what you've done.

[nick @ Jul 6th 2009 11:21AM]

I still can't afford a 1st gen 8GB :D. They go for over £150 on ebay

[Alex @ Jul 6th 2009 11:22AM]

All these fanboys are just going to vote their iphones are overheating when they don't even own one.

[murmermer @ Jul 6th 2009 11:22AM]

Apple should only sell the black one, then make a statement saying they fixed the overheating issues. Everyone will be happy

[LongshotX @ Jul 6th 2009 11:22AM]

Only fools buy the 3GS.

[Alex @ Jul 6th 2009 11:24AM]

Only ignorant pricks like you post such uneducated comments.

[John Michael @ Jul 6th 2009 11:37AM]

@Alex
Word

[sweet greggo @ Jul 6th 2009 2:13PM]

I don't know, guys... I think he may have a point.

[roole @ Jul 6th 2009 11:22AM]

So what else is new? First slam Apple, next get the eyeballs and page views, then do the mea culpa.......

Rinse. Repeat.

[Max Holland @ Jul 6th 2009 11:23AM]

i have that chintzy white case and have no brown marks at all... plus the inside of that case is white... it wouldnt stain brown

[dudebro @ Jul 6th 2009 11:23AM]

do you have a job or friends or do you just spend your entire day scanning engadget for apple posts trying to stir up a pointless arguement online?

[Bastian @ Jul 6th 2009 11:23AM]

I totally agree with you. My 3GS getting warm under heavy use too but it's still far from melting the backcover. I don't see a construction/design/whatever problem here

[MONKEY @ Jul 6th 2009 11:23AM]

Here's a poll:

Is Paul a. Chapel a....

A. Troll
B. Apple fanboy
C. All of the above

[skyman375 @ Jul 6th 2009 11:23AM]

I did a full restore and "set up as a new phone" and it completely solved my battery drain and overheating problem. I had initially set up my 3Gs using a backup file from my old iPhone, and this appears to have been the problem for me. I'm now getting very good battery life with push, location services etc. turned on.

[Mystic @ Jul 6th 2009 11:27AM]

A problem caused by cases, blown out of proportion by anti-Apple zealot blogs like Engadget and Gizmodo to get more hits from their fanboy readers. Get a real job idiots.

[Cyrillus @ Jul 6th 2009 11:48AM]

LOL @ "anti-Apple zealot blogs like Engadget and Gizmodo"

...do you even READ their articles?

[ryan @ Jul 6th 2009 12:18PM]

"...blown out of proportion by anti-Apple zealot blogs like Engadget..."

Wait, Engadget is anti-Apple? When did this come about?

I think the same could be said in reverse context, where there are anti-Apple zealots, there are Apple zealots who will come out and defend their glorious company (read: god) at any cost, even if it means acting just as the "anti-Apple zealots" do. You fail at life

/troll off