First it was Samsung’s Galaxy Note 7; now it’s the iPhone that has mobile phone users heated... allegedly.
Within the last few months, eight Chinese consumers have reported spontaneous combustion of their iPhones.
On August 31 of this year, an Apple consumer surnamed Chen informed state-run watchdog group Shanghai Consumer Council (SHCC) that her iPhone 6s Plus spontaneously self-combusted, cracking the screen and blackening the battery.
Then on September 30, another customer surnamed Zhang told the SHCC that his iPhone 6 unexpectedly started smoking and spontaneously self-combusted.
Six other such occurrences, all taking place between September 1 and November 30, 2016, have been reported.
Chinese users say their iPhones are exploding. (h/t John Artman)
Save for giving Chen a new phone in the same model, Apple has claimed no responsibility for the "thermal events." In an official report, Apple stated that its "thorough forensic investigation" showed conclusively that both phones combusted due to "external physical damage."
"We appreciate that customers are more concerned than ever about the performance and safety of batteries in their mobile devices," the statement says.
But despite Apple’s reassurance, many netizens have been left spooked by the incidents with one Weibo user writing "There are so many iPhone users, so it’s like everyone’s walking with a time bomb?"
The watchdog has also received complaints from some users who say the iPhone 6 and 6S is randomly shutting down. In response, Apple has announced new iOS software with additional battery diagnostic features, which will be released next week. Apple has also offered free battery replacement for some customers.
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