The Channel Wire

July 02, 2009

Nary a week goes by without something in the news having to deal with Apple's iPhone family, but this week, Apple's the one taking the heat -- over consumer reports that the iPhone 3G S is prone to overheating. While there have been no reports about iPhone 3G S users themselves getting hurt, the blogosphere's been burning up since the iPhone 3G S's June 19 release with reports from users that the phone tends to run very hot.

Some reports Thursday suggested Apple has taken steps to address the problem -- assuming it's a problem at all, and not just a collection of idle complaints -- by pointing to an Apple tech support document.

The document suggests keeping iPhone 3G and 3G S "within acceptable operating temperatures," which according to Apple means between 32 degrees and 95 degrees Fahrenheit. That's all well and good. The problem? The document isn't anything new -- it's been available for several weeks and is Apple's standard response to iPhone heating complaints, updated to include iPhone 3G S on June 25.

Is that really a "response" from Apple? Wouldn't a response potentially get at what most consumers have said is the most common instance of iPhone 3G S overheating -- that is, when using anything that involves the iPhone 3G S' 3G wireless or GPS components.

Granted, the response to Apple's allegedly overheating iPhones has been a little hysterical, with one newspaper, The Inquirer, reporting that a company that does iPhone teardowns attributed the issue to "faulty battery cells" that could mean "massive recalls of iPhone 3G S units."

Massive recalls? Until more confirmed reports indicate an overheating iPhone 3G S are indeed the scourge some bloggers would have you believe they are, here's some advice: cool off.