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France reports exploding iPhones



A number of iPhone owners in France have reported that their handsets have exploded, according to reports.

An 80-year-old from the Paris suburbs was among eight people who said their phones' screens exploded or cracked, according to the AFP news agency.

Consumers in the UK, Holland and Sweden have reported similar problems, prompting an EU investigation.

Apple said it was aware of the reports and was waiting to receive the handsets from the affected customers.

The firm has been accused of trying to hush-up cases of iPhones and iPods heating up or bursting into flames in the US and the UK.

Ken Stanborough and his daughter, from Liverpool, have accused the firm of trying to silence them with a gagging order after the child's iPod exploded and the family sought a refund.

Apple reportedly offered to pay the money to Mr Stanborough, but only if he kept the terms of the settlement confidential.

It has been reported that the device's lithium ion batteries could be the source of the problem.

European alert

In the latest case, Rolland Caufman, a pensioner from a Paris suburb, said his iPhone screen had broken up without explanation in July, the week after he bought it.

"I took it out of my pocket and held it to my ear and saw the screen crack up like a car windscreen," he told AFP.

Mr Caufman has since been issued a replacement phone.

However, there have been other, similar reports.

On Tuesday, a 26-year-old security guard claimed he was hit in the eye with a glass shard when his Iphone screen cracked up.

He has said he would seek a full refund and file suit for damages.

The incidents have prompted investigations by French consumer affairs groups.

"An investigation is under way. We have been alerted to the problem and we are looking into it closely," said a spokesman from watchdog DGCCRF.

The European Commission has also asked the 27 EU nations to keep it informed of any problems, under its Rapex scheme.

Rapex is the EU rapid alert system for dangerous consumer products.

The system issue alerts for multiple products every week, sometimes leading to mass product recalls, but often with no consequence.

Apple, which has sold 26 million iPhones and 200 million iPods to date, said it was aware of the reports.

"We are waiting to receive the iPhones from the customers," said Alan Hely, head of European Communications for Apple.

"Until we have the full details, we don't have anything further to add."



THE BBC

Quick translation.. Someones dropped a right bollock, nearly took my fookin head off.

Your accent is perfect.

I heard this a few days ago but I can't remember where the problem was

M reading thus now via my iPhone ..... Tick tick tick tick......... Hmmm nothing? Strange.

Wheels?
Wheels?

Oh No!!!! He's gone bang LOL

Apple denies 'exploding' iPhones



A number of iPhones that reportedly "exploded" in France were not due to the battery overheating as had been suggested, Apple has said.

The firm said that all of the handsets they had seen with broken screens were caused by an "external force".

Watchdogs had launched investigations after reports of iPhones that had exploded or cracked spontaneously.

France's top trade official is meeting with the financial director of Apple France to discuss the claims.

Herve Novelli, secretary of state for trade and consumer affairs, said he would question Apple's Michel Coulomb about the "causes of the implosion of these devices and eventual measures they could take," according to AP.

Consumers in the UK, Holland and Sweden had reported similar problems.

"To date, there are no confirmed battery overheating incidents for iPhone 3GS and the number of reports we are investigating is in the single digits," Apple said in a statement.

Apple has sold 26 million iPhones and 200 million iPods to date.

"The iPhones with broken glass that we have analysed to date show that in all cases the glass cracked due to an external force that was applied to the iPhone."

But Frank Benoiton, of Acheres-la-Foret in France, said his wife's iPhone had cracked without warning last week and denied he or his wife were to blame.

"It was not dropped and experienced no unusual shock," he told AP.

On Tuesday, a 26-year-old security guard has claimed that he was hit in the eye with a glass shard when his iPhone screen cracked up.

The recent cases prompted French watchdog DGCCRF to investigate the complaints.

The European Commission also used its Rapex system to issue an alert to its 27 member states about the problem.

Rapex is the EU rapid alert system for dangerous consumer products.

The system issue alerts for multiple products every week, sometimes leading to mass product recalls, but often with no consequence.



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