Apple iPhones: First Electrocutions And Now Explosions
There was a time when people were shattering glass windows just to get at iPhones. Now it seems that it's the iPhones that are shattering glass ... all over their users' faces: The Dalian Evening News (via MacRumors) reports that a woman "suffered eye injuries from her iPhone 5 after it exploded while she was on the phone."
Mind you, this was not a brand new iPhone – in fact, the woman says she had dropped her phone in the past, which resulted in a small crack in the top corner, but it remained in working condition. However, this didn't necessarily mean it was safe to use, as she later found out when it exploded after she had been talking for 40 minutes and felt the phone get "warm."
According to the article, the woman claims she tried to hang up repeatedly but the touchscreen failed to respond. The explosion sent her to the hospital with scratches in her eyes.
Last month two widely reported cases of electrocutions involving iPhones set off a swirl of media reports and bad PR for Apple despite the fact that both incidents were allegedly caused by the use of third party chargers. Apple China has responded by warning users against using third party chargers and instituting a trade-in program.
CEO Tim Cook's apology to Chinese customers for what was perceived as an unfair warranty policy in China earlier this year prompted some observers to call the generally critical domestic coverage an "official backlash."
Since then, the Chinese (and increasingly the Western) press has had a field day reporting about Apple's increasing loss of marketshare to Samsung in China (among other domestic rivals), and although these latest incidents could arguably be attributed to the improper and unsafe use of its devices by customers, they can only serve as more salt to be rubbed in Apple's wounds.
This week Apple announced that the newest iPhone – the 'iPhone 5S' – will be launched on September 10th along with a cheaper 'iPhone 5C' model. The 5S model is expected to have a higher resolution 8 megapixel camera and more processing power, while the 5C is expected to come in a cheaper fiberglass and polycarbonate case in different colors.
Apple is hoping both models will be enough to turn back the tide of Chinese customers in their favor (a company spokeswoman confirmed with us today that no date has been set yet for the iPhone 5S and 5C release in China), but with its board voicing their concerns about the perceived "lack of innovation" in these new models, it's looking like a long road back for Apple back to the top.
The post originally appeared on Agenda.
Photo: Dalian Evening News
