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 Aug 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.
Cobra Terrorists...
We need a hero! A REAL...AMERICAN hero.
It can only be...G.I.Jobs!
With the kung fu turtleneck action and crippling prices needed to bring the Cobra down!
What, you run to the hospital every time you get a little shard of glass in your eye? Pussy. Be a man like French security guards and walk it off.
No shit... I'm pretty sure if a piece of my phone shot up into my eye, I'd go to the doctor and get it checked out. That guy's like the French Jack Bauer... Jaques Bauier
Actually, he's probably still waiting in line to get healthcare.
He's in France which has one of the most highly rated health care systems in the world. If he were in the US, he couldn't go because his insurance company dropped him for getting sick.
It's not rapex if you shout "Suprise!"
Surprise
Woe me and my epic spelling fail
Why no red sguiggly lines engadget? you made me look silly in front of the whole class!
Actually, its okay I read it correctly the first time.
I am not suprised....Iphone suuuuucks
Support the troops, arm them with deadly iPhones!
This is just my guess at what might have happened from experience with mine:
They pressed the home button twice which triggered the camera to come on, when they actually just wanted to go to the homescreen, not noticing they put the phone somewhere (perhaps in their pocket) and forgot about it for a while, then an hour or 2 later the phone got very hot and damaged.
I have left my camera on in the same way before and the device was so hot that I couldn't hold it (after only 30mins).
Didn't France get the memo that they are not supposed to use ipods in direct sunlight?
Right, thanks to you we wont forget to use our ipods only in dark rooms or under umbrellas. Meanwhile we'll listen to the same song over and over until we finally get to our (shady) destination.
France doesn't get it:
All their base are belong to us.
It's all France's fault.
correction: iphones
fail :-p
Fire ze missiles!
But I'm le tired!
Zen take a nap!
Zen fire ze missiles!
"Those Chinese Sons a of a bitches is going down!"
The French guy with the shard of glass in his eye probably didn't go to the hospital because he did not want to pay his medical bill upfront and be reimbursed later by the government run HMO-like health care system. He would still likely pay 13% of the cost out of pocket despite paying 20% or so of every paycheck for the priveledge. And he probably pays additional insurace to cover what's not in the gov-HMO plan, since 92% of all french do.
But just becasue the French heath system being buried in debt (20% all French deficit spending is for thier universal coverage plans) and despite the fact that 11% of thier entire GDP is spent on Medical care (2nd only to the U.S.) and still have worse outcomes for specialized diseases like cancer, pneumonia and heart disease than the money grubbin capitalists in the U.S., doesn't mean it can't rank number 1 on the WHO list of best heath care systems. After all, French hospitals have very nice sheets and the sytem seems "fair" to the WHO, and those are two really important factors in determining which health care system is the best.
By the way, the former president of the number 2 heath care system according to the WHO, Italy, had his heart surgery in the U.S., the 37th ranked health care by the WHO.
Let me guess, you bring your gun to health care town halls. This is a gadget site - shut to F' up about health care.
The picture is awesome. Loved it.
Having a broken healthcare/insurance system and talented Medical professionals in the same country aren't mutually exclusive.
Regardless, this is about iPhones not politics so shut up.
Oh, sorry. After reading the comments I thought we making fun of the French.
And the ~10% of americans that cant afford insurance and dont fall under the government health care are better how?
Just try the new system. You can always buy extra insurance if you don't think new system is good for you. But alas, we digress. This really isn't a conservative corner for your soapbox, unless it's a conservative gadget.
Of course this is wrong, you don't have to pay upfront when you go to a French hospital. Propagandastaffel at work, obviously.
I just exchanged my iPhone 3GS two weeks ago because the battery stopped taking a charge even though the charging indicator was indicating it was charging, the replacement they gave me got so how when I plugged it into the charger I'm surprised it didn't explode.. but I bet it would have if I left it plugged in long enough... the unit was too hot to hold even in it's In-Case rubber case.. Two hours later unplugged, it was still hotter than anything I've ever felt coming from a phone. The top half of the phone is the part which had all of the heat, though I'm not sure why since the Apple store told me the battery is on the bottom. Regardless, they exchanged it with another refurb and that one has been fine.
Best engadget art ever.
Fear always works....
Companies around the world need to bring out better products and not wasting their times on spreading rumors.
They are must be scared of apple. Inc.
GI Joes failed again?
Zee iPhone Flambe, she is magnifique!
As suspected, Chinese-made batteries are always at faults... XD
there is a big controversy about this topic in france :
http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.lefigaro.fr%2Ftechnotes%2F2009%2F08%2F10-verites-sur-les-explosions-diphone.html&sl=fr&tl=en
At least it's still getting great reception and 3G speeds..
Hahah wow!
37n 122w isn't france, old bean, it's california.
Your IPhone not exploding and leaving you without a 1st degree burn?
Well, there's an App for that!
Yeah, it's called the power button, comes standard on more recent models.
This plus all the other talk of overheating/exploding iphones in Cali, and the guy who died the other day in Vancouver (from his mbp catching fire and burning down the house he was still inside) proves that it's not a geographical thing. Not a weather thing. It's a bad design thing.
Apple = FAIL.
I hope your all happy with your little status machines. Cause now your status is, douche that bought in on shiny advertisement.
LOLZ
Useless ignorant americans.
Its the Zippo app !
A few possibilities:
1) This is for real and there has been a mass recall
2) Apple are out of stock because they underestimated UK demand (believable, as real world observations and research shows there are a lot of people walking into O2 and Carphone Warehouse shops here asking for an iPhone - 3GS Black 16G in particular. There is no other mobile device that draws so much interest, although the forthcoming Nokia N900 may replicate this.)
3) Rumor and mass hysteria has brought all those who will fake a situation for their fiscal advantage out of the wood work. And with the economy like it is, this may only continue.
4) Other!
5) PROFIT! Or, in this case I guess...
5)TAKE A LOSS!
i call bullshit to apple its not a very good phone anyways if u drop it and there is a warp core explosion and it u move your hand fast and the screen cracks call it what it is a F'ing lemon grenade i mean well even if u get a drop of water on it that bitch shuts down and never turns back on i have not heard of any other phone doing that i can get my g1 wet have droped it in water a few times bitch still works same for my old ass nokia, Motorola phone and my tmo dash and Sony ericsion but you guys can go defend them all you want they make fault products that have even killed a person and burned a car to ash but they say it all your fault and u keep there balls on your chins that sad it really is yes they make things that run nice but if they made shit that dont burn yo ass i would get one naw fuck that i wanna live
The screen of my iPhone suddenly shattered in my hand just after I unplugged it from charging. Screen seems to have shattered from the inside as the top surface is fine. O2 (in the UK) didn't want to know as it was more than a year old (but still in contract).
I contacted Apple and they said there were no known issues. I asked if they would at least look at it and they said no. They suggested I contacted O2 to establish my consumer rights. So it doesn't surprise me that Apple have seen no evidence of screens cracking due to overheating - because they are refusing to look at the evidence in the first place.
Sorry guys, but it so obvious that you know little about France for example. Some comments are just... a waste of time. Just try to talk about what we were supposed to talk about, this issue. It is strange that we have 12 iphones implosed 'till now. Can happen and yes people can lie. The truth is that we lack information. What about letting investigation clarify this situation?
Isn't the Taliban using iPhones in Afghanistan as IED's against our troops there?
Want your phone exploded?
there's an app for that.
if we put 1(defective hardware)+2 (multitasking)+ 3 (defective no replaceable made in china batteries ) it equals multiple apple warp-core explosion and implosions all over the world thus raising green house gases and homeless rates which is why they don't let the iphone multi task and i dare say the reason why they said it could not handle high def not because it was not capable but the because it would reach temperatures somewhere near a white dwarf star and that thinking to far outside the box unless your in the Antarctic about to freeze to death so u drop your phone repeatedly to stay alive