Reports of
iPhones exploding,
starting fires and killing people in cold blood have been around since the inception of the handset. They've also been relatively sporadic, seemingly short on evidence, and Apple hasn't given complaints much credence or response. So when we heard a story from France the other day about a security guard's iPhone "exploding" and sending a shard of glass into his eye (though apparently not serious enough to warrant a hospital visit), it was a little hard to believe, but with a few other stories of cracking screens due to overheating cropping up in Europe over the past couple weeks, French authorities have taken an interest in the story. Anecdotally, a teen says his phone "imploded" in Belgium and gave him a headache, a woman's phone cracked without warning, and ten or so victims in France have come forward to complain of similar problems, picking up the interest of a French consumer watchdog group. Apple is naturally not new to the concept of overheating in its battery-powered devices -- in fact, it's just entered into its first full-on
iPod nano recall in Korea of the 1st-gen players after numerous reports of battery faultiness worldwide -- but with 26 million iPhones out and about, and the iPhone 3GS tending to run a bit hotter than its siblings, a systemic problem with one or all models of the handsets isn't something consumers or Apple would take lightly.
Herve Novelli, France's top trade official, met with Apple France's Michel Coulomb today to discuss the problem, and so far Apple is sticking to its guns: it claims that reported incidents are in the single digits, and that all cases it's investigated fully so far have turned out to be blamed on "external force" to the screen. Herve and Michel seem to have parted on friendly terms, promising to keep in touch over the issue, and the EU's alert system for dangerous consumer products (inexplicably dubbed RAPEX) is staying in the loop as well, asking the 27 member nations to keep tabs on the situation. Novelli says it's "too early to blame anyone," and we'd have to agree, but we hope Apple keeps up the (freshly) open communication about this issue going forward.
Read - French minister meets Apple exec over iPhone problems
Read - Apple denies 'exploding' iPhones
Read - Apple denies battery problem with exploding iPhones
Read - Belgian teenager latest victim of exploding iPhone phenomenon
posted August 28th 2009 12:40PM
that is a great and awesome photo.
In other news, France has surrendered to the iPone.
The original picture is from Resistance Retribution for the Sony PSP. Its a VERY awesome game.
Matt wins this thread
Matt we never fully surrender (cause that would mean we all agreed on something).
There is always some guys doing some resistance.. ever heard of Archos ?
love the picture.
hmmm, after watching Nazi occupied France in Inglourious Basterds, are they saying that Apple . . . . . .
(O_O)
second that, great PS work
My iPhone has been trying to kill me since the day I bought it... or was it AT&T raping me?
The frogs had it coming.
we don't need no water let the mutherfucka burn
"... all cases it's investigated fully so far have turned out to be blamed on "external force" to the screen ..."
That is such BS. Stop pointing the finger at someone else and own up to your mistakes!
not too certain but that kinda looks like a scene from "Resistance: Fall of Man"
Apparently Oakland Calif or Weihai China is burning also (lookup the GPS coordinates - the EW is hidden, so you can't tell exactly).
The picture is from Resistance Retribution for PSP. Fantastic game, highly recommended.
Confirmed - best picture. Ever.
sold mine before it exploded. good luck to the next guy =)
+1. I always thought Apple, Art and France had a connection. That picture simply puts it all together.
A piece of art displaying France burning from Apple iPhones like if we were living in the past century.
Br(rrrrrrrrrr)illiant.
Biggest fan of the picture. instant hit.
"Bonjour, everyone! Don't worry. Everything is bon! We stopped the iPhone."
My iphone is da bomb
What's with those frogs? Think they can make some easy money by physically smashing the iPhone and lying about it.
@MR Blue who said - "... all cases it's investigated fully so far have turned out to be blamed on 'external force' to the screen ..." That is such BS. Stop pointing the finger at someone else and own up to your mistakes!
What on Earth made you think that you had enough knowledge (or any knowledge, for that matter) to say whether Apple is right or wrong? You don't have access to the units. You haven't even seen one of the alleged 'exploding' models in person. You have no idea whether it is "Apple's mistake" or not, and if you think you're "probably right anyway" then you need to think again.
Given the enormous number of iPhones sold, the fact that this 'explosion' has happened to less than a dozen iPhones in a strangely limited geographical area, the fact that at least one of the 'victims' is not even prepared to hand over their iPhone to Apple for examination, the clear and unmistakable evidence of external force shown in the few photos we do have, the completely as-yet-unknown method by which a battery can explode and crack the glass pane yet leave much less damage to the underlying screen and electronics through which the explosion would have to pass, Apple's statement on the matter (which as a counter-claim has as much credibility as the victims' claims), and Apple's calmness given that - if proven - this issue would necessitate a worldwide recall ... well, I know which side I would be laying bets on.
Photoshop dude at Engadget is on a roll lately. Very nice.
I'm afraid that picture isn't Photoshopped.
Since when did they move the eiffel tower to Cupertino (or China)...
I found a better one:
http://i28.tinypic.com/2d1wute.jpg
Photoshop dude at Engadget doesn't only use Photoshop.
The title poking fun at situation but having a lithium ion battery explode in your pant pocket would eff some stuff up.
France is IN Europe, so no, Europe does not have a Prime Minister.
We don't have iphones. It's funny.
The Firefly guy?
Better call RAPEX
Wow why does the EU love blowing isolated incidents outta proportion? Seriously, did the US president meet up with a sony executive when their batteries started exploding? Why does the prime minister need to meet up with an apple exec, recall the product and be done with it? Doesn't he have something better to do?
(insert french jokes here)
ugh, nevermind i misread that, i thought they ment prime minister...hahaha
Neither France, nor Europe, nor engadget or apple has a prime minister. What are you talking about?
Actually France DOES have a Prime Minister, François Fillon.
Will the French finally surrender to Apple?
"Is Paris burning?"
Probably, they surrendered to everyone else.
Only if Herr Jobs has some german relatives.
paris in flames
rapex?! wow...
Yeah, it's particularly interesting as RAPEX is a consumer product DESIGNED to be dangerous - Wikipedia the device if you don't know of it.
rapex was definitely the highlight of my day.
no wait, the lowlight.
"Alex, I'll take The Rapist for $100."
I expect reports of this happening to expand as people become aware of the possibility of blaming Apple for their broken screen instead of the fact that they dropped it or otherwise caused the damage themselves and know it.
I def agree with you on that one, believe me people will say anything to get a new phone after they break it!
Im sorry, but having my cell phone explode isnt something that i want taken lightly. I dont have/want an iphone, but i cant imagine what would happen if my little htc sent flaming bits and pieces of it self at my eyes...
Apple should be taking this seriously. This is a real problem
Exactly, that's how you know these reports are BS. No photos, no credible witnesses. Just people trying to get attention.