iPhone 3GS units overheating, causing discoloration?

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iPhone 3GS units overheating, causing discoloration?

A number of iPhone 3GS owners have complained that the handset becomes overly hot, with at least one user reporting a discoloration of the white plastic back. Photos posted to the French site Nowhere Else (Translated Link) show a 16GB white iPhone 3GS unit with reddish/pink discolorations running vertically down the back on either side of the Apple logo; the user claims these appeared after the phone got “very hot” while testing out a variety of location-aware apps over 3G. At least one iLounge editor has seen similar behavior from his unit after connecting it to a specific battery pack for charging, and a thread on Apple’s support discussions site suggests others are also noticing their iPhones getting abnormally warm. It is unclear whether the issue is software- or hardware-based and if the warmth and discoloration problems are widespread. [via Engadget]

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Comments

1

I used a GPS this weekend for approx. 90 minutes. My white iPhone 3GS was extremely hot, but there was no discoloration.

Posted by Galley in Greenville, SC on June 29, 2009 at 9:21 AM (PDT)

2

My (black) 3GS has gotten awful hot when I’ve left the camera on and auto-lock disabled.

Posted by Dyvim on June 29, 2009 at 9:24 AM (PDT)

3

This reminds me of apple’s old iSight camera which always was ridiculously hot when running. The iPhone (old and new) definitely get hot if used while charging.

Posted by JPD on June 29, 2009 at 9:53 AM (PDT)

4

I bought a 3GS the day it came out and put on an invisishield as soon as i got it, and by yesterday or so, i looked at the back of the phone and under this invisishield, their are brown streaks and spots all over, very similar to those in the pics above. Do you think this may be from the over heating?

Posted by Andrew on June 29, 2009 at 2:42 PM (PDT)

5

When I use my iPhone on the battery it gets HOT and drains the battery in a few hours . I allready removed a GPS app and disabled the 3G network, did a restore but nothing helps ! The phone also cannot find my Airport extreme station wich is clearly visible on my colleague’s old 3G ! Black 3Gs 32G.

Posted by Eric on June 30, 2009 at 12:29 PM (PDT)

6

I have a 3GS and the same thing happened to me while using google maps and the compass feature on it. My unit actually had a slight smell to it and was very hot.

Posted by Jason on July 1, 2009 at 4:25 AM (PDT)

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