iPhone overheating problems could see aid from new patent

[AppleInsider]

As reports of battery problems causing discoloration on the white model iPhone 3GS continue to grow, a patent from Apple published for the first this week looks to address both internal and external elements that could have adverse effects on a device's power source.

Apple continues to adopt non-user-replaceable batteries across its entire line of mobile electronics. As it does, the longevity and performance of those power sources becomes an even more crucial element of the technology in iPhones, iPods and unibody MacBooks.

The new patent aims to address the physical problems inherent in the batteries in electronic devices: namely, the fact that pressures and overheating can inflict damage on battery cells.

The patent, if approved Thursday, would grant the Cupertino, Calif., company "systems and methods for monitoring and responding to forces influencing batteries of electronic devices are provided."

"Pressure can build up within a battery as the battery operates, for example, due to heat," the application reads. "Pressure can also be applied to an external portion of a battery, such as by a physically adjacent object. These pressures generate forces that influence effects of the battery, such as the size and shape of the battery. Although some magnitudes of such forces can be normal, more intense forces may be indicative of an impending battery failure. Accordingly, what is needed are systems and methods for monitoring and responding to forces influencing a battery."

The patent describes a "battery force sensor" that would be able to detect battery problems. If triggered, the sensor could produce an "alarm and a graphical user interface," the patent reads. Similar elements of such a sensor may already be implemented in the iPhone, which can inform the user that the phone "needs to cool down before you can use it."

The approval comes as reports and photos of the white iPhone 3GS overheating and discoloring continue to grow on the Web. The first-hand accounts show the back of white iPhone 3GS models turning brown or pink in certain areas, usually toward the edges.

iPhone 3GS with discoloration on the left; iPhone 3G on the right.

While Apple has declined to comment on the latest issue and even took to closing a large discussion thread on its forum centering on the subject, it's long maintained on its support page a document on "acceptable operating temperatures," for its iPhone models, which was updated last week to take into account the 3GS model.

Triggers for the issue can vary, but usually follow sometime after intensive activity that generates significant heat, such as using 3G data extensively, playing games or navigating with GPS. It's also suspected that engaging in regular tasks for a long time, such as playing music or browsing the web on Wi-Fi, can also cause the symptoms.

[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]

[solipsism]

I have a feeling this patent will become a reality.

[charlituna]

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

As reports of battery problems causing discoloration on the white model iPhone 3GS continue to grow,

'continue to grow'. I have seen one report on one website that has been repeated by every other site. no massive runs of "that happened to me too" threads or anything. in fact I've seen a lot of folks saying they have just that phone and nada has happened to them so far.

[Kasper]

Originally Posted by charlituna

'continue to grow'. I have seen one report on one website that has been repeated by every other site. no massive runs of "that happened to me too" threads or anything. in fact I've seen a lot of folks saying they have just that phone and nada has happened to them so far.

This issue happened to one of our devices. We did not cover the original story until we saw it with our own eyes. The unit has been returned to Apple.

Kasper

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by Kasper

This issue happened to one of our devices. We did not cover the original story until we saw it with our own eyes. The unit has been returned to Apple.

What signs were there of this issue? For example, the battery not holding a charge in stand by mode, hot to touch in standby mode, system crashes or lockups?

[clickmyface]

Originally Posted by Kasper

This issue happened to one of our devices. We did not cover the original story until we saw it with our own eyes. The unit has been returned to Apple.

Kasper

The discoloration issue, or the overheating issue? There is, of course, a difference.

If it was the discoloration issue, as implied by your statement, why on earth didnt you take a picture?

[Mazda 3s]

Originally Posted by Kasper

This issue happened to one of our devices. We did not cover the original story until we saw it with our own eyes. The unit has been returned to Apple.

Kasper

Oh snap!

Was it the discoloration problem? If so, did you take any pictures before sending it back? I have a black 3G S and luckily haven't been stricken by overheating problems yet.

[macinthe408]

Awesome!

Can I go into an Apple Store and get this patent applied to my discolored white iPhone right now?!

I called and they said they haven't arrive yet, however.

[MacTripper]

the phone "needs to cool down before you can use it."

Oh yes, this will go over real well with people.


I guess this means the thermal wall has been reached with iPhones.


Ok, what's the "next big thing" we can lust over?

[teckstud]

Originally Posted by solipsism

What signs were there of this issue? For example, the battery not holding a charge in stand by mode, hot to touch in standby mode, system crashes or lockups?

I'd suppose I should buy a black one then? Tomorrow is da day!

[steviet02]

Originally Posted by solipsism

What signs were there of this issue? For example, the battery not holding a charge in stand by mode, hot to touch in standby mode, system crashes or lockups?

Yes that happens and all the people that were complaining about in on apples forums were silenced when all the threads were removed from the forum. You guys need to knock the shit off like this company can't do any wrong. There is a definite problem.

[steviet02]

Originally Posted by teckstud

I'd say I should buy a black one then? Tomorrow is da day!

Yeah I'd buy a black one in 2010...

[teckstud]

Originally Posted by steviet02

Yes that happens and all the people that were complaining about in on apples forums were silenced when all the threads were removed from the forum. You guys need to knock the shit off like this company can't do any wrong. There is a definite problem.

Seriously sometimes I think he's paid by Apple the way he professionally always comes up with some excuse or the other. I mean he does have over 10,000 posts.

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by steviet02

Yes that happens and all the people that were complaining about in on apples forums were silenced when all the threads were removed from the forum. You guys need to knock the shit off like this company can't do any wrong. There is a definite problem.

Having a batch of bad CE, especially with batteries, is commonplace, as was stated previously, but your assertion that Apple should be forced to support obnoxious, hyperbolic statements about a massive recall and exploding phones is ridiculous.

[teckstud]

Originally Posted by steviet02

Yeah I'd buy a black one in 2010...

why- will it be with Verizon then?

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by teckstud

I mean he does have over 10,000 posts.

That is 10K objective and relevant posts to your zero.

[steviet02]

Originally Posted by teckstud

Seriously sometimes I think he's paid by Apple the way he professionally always comes up with some excuse or the other. I mean he does have over 10,000 posts.

It's not even solely solipsism, it's others that will come in after him and claim bs or say the work around is to shut everything off in the phone to prevent it...

[steviet02]

Originally Posted by solipsism

Having a batch of bad CE, especially with batteries, is commonplace, as was stated previously, but your assertion that Apple should be forced to support obnoxious, hyperbolic statements about a massive recall and exploding phones is ridiculous.

Ok, so we jumped from a thread that was filled with multiple posters having the same issue to "hyperbolic statements about a massive recall and exploding phones is ridiculous.".

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by steviet02

It's not even solely solipsism, it's others that will come in after him and claim bs or say the work around is to shut everything off in the phone to prevent it…

We all said that if that happens get it replaced because it’s faulty. What part of that is so hard to understand? The idea that getting a bad CE means that they are all duds is simply the most absurd thing I’ve ever heard on this forum, save for Teckstud’s postings.

[steviet02]

Originally Posted by teckstud

why- will it be with Verizon then?

No, you won't be a able to use your phone and Safari at the same time... They all have their faults...

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by steviet02

Ok, so we jumped from a thread that was filled with multiple posters having the same issue to "hyperbolic statements about a massive recall and exploding phones is ridiculous.".

Multiple now means everyone is having a problem and a massive recall and class action lawsuit will be filed?

All CE will have problems from time to time!

[steviet02]

Originally Posted by solipsism

We all said that if that happens get it replaced because it’s faulty. What part of that is so hard to understand? The idea that getting a bad CE means that they are all duds is simply the more absurd thing I’ve ever heard on this forum, save for Teckstud’s postings.

Thats not what you said.

Originally Posted by solipsism
What signs were there of this issue? For example, the battery not holding a charge in stand by mode, hot to touch in standby mode, system crashes or lockups?

Like this was the first you had heard of it. Trying to be a smart ass really, weren't you?

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by steviet02

Thats not what you said.


Like this was the first you had heard of it. Trying to be a smart ass really, weren't you?

I asked a simple question about what particular issues arose to cause the discolouration, just liek others did. You have never troubleshooted anything have you? There is a very simple chain of events that affect CE. If there is heat from a battery it is either being caused by a faulty battery -or- by other HW, like the CPU, that is working the battery constantly. I’m sure that Kasper is going to get theirs replaced. That is the sane thing to do.

You can’t expect to buy any CE and not need to utilize the warranty every now and again. That is what it is for. It’s your protection against a faulty product. Where do people go to school to learn about the very basics of business and commerce?

[teckstud]

Originally Posted by solipsism

That is 10K objective and relevant posts to your zero.

HAH- HAH!!
Dude - you are the most biased poster on here. All your fanboyish posts only add to the suspicion that you're paid by Apple to come up with one excuse after the other on any Apple problem, lack of feature, or issue related to them. Is this your full time job?

[teckstud]

Originally Posted by solipsism

Where do people go to school to learn about the very basics of business and commerce?

Cupertino U- is obviously where you attended.

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by steviet02

Thats not what you said.

Like this was the first you had heard of it.

Oh yeah?

• http://forums.appleinsider.com/showt...97#post1442897

[steviet02]

Originally Posted by teckstud

Cupertino U- is obviously where you attended.

Solipsism, you gotta give him credit, that was a good one....

[steviet02]

Originally Posted by solipsism

Oh yeah?

• http://forums.appleinsider.com/showt...97#post1442897

So why the hell would you ask what the symptoms were? Like you didn't believe it was happening.

Edit:

I don't read every post here, I have other things to do. Right now, I have 30 minutes to kill.

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by steviet02

So why the hell would you ask what the symptoms were? Like you didn't believe it was happening.

How can you and Teckstud be so obtuse. From him we expect it, but you should know better.

Obviously, I asked what symptoms led to the discolouration. Where else have we have direct access to someone with an iPhone acting up like this? You might see a discoloured phone and think that Apple is teh doomed, but I’d like to know what is primary cause. It’s something that people who search for answers, instead of ust making wild guesses and accusations, do. It’s called research. Since my iPhone is not having these problems I have no choice but to inquire. Even if my iPhone was doing had the same discoloration, that does not automatically mean that the cause is the same as there are many reasons why the battery would overheat., as I hinted at with my examples above. Deduction and reasoning!

[Quadra 610]

There's been ONE actual report that the FUD-spammers have gotten hold of.

Nothing widespread.

Instead of out-innovating and out-playing Apple the best the comatose competition can do is either promote FUD via grassroots channels or simply spread it themselves.

No one has managed to outdo Apple since the first iPhone, or the iPod, or in most of Apple's markets since 2001. Easiest thing to do is to save money on actual R&D and just run a collective smear campaign.

[teckstud]

Originally Posted by Quadra 610

There's been ONE actual report that the FUD-spammers have gotten hold of.

Nothing widespread.

Instead of out-innovating and out-playing Apple the best the comatose competition can do is either promote FUD via grassroots channesl or simply spread it themselves.

Please -like how many threads has AppleInsider alone posted on this issue already. And the phone has only been released 2 weeks!

[teckstud]

Originally Posted by solipsism

How can you and Teckstud be so obtuse. From him we expect it, but you should know better.

Obtuse? As in triangle?

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by teckstud

Obtuse? As in triangle?

Thank you for driving home my point.

[solipsism]

How many of you with any iPhones have had to return it because it got to hot, discoloured the plastic, wouldn’t hold a charge or any other HW issue? For those afflicted, was your issue stated to be a battery issue, some other HW issue, SW issue resolved with a restore, or unknown? Did you get it changed in a store or by mail and was the issue well known to the technical staff?

[hillstones]

It is not a discoloration problem. The white iPhone just wants to be black because the black iPhone looks so much better than the white model. Of course I prefer my original model with the aluminum back. The few people that I know that bought a white iPhone, slipped it into a black iPhone case!

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by hillstones

It is not a discoloration problem. The white iPhone just wants to be black because the black iPhone looks so much better than the white model. Of course I prefer my original model with the aluminum back. The few people that I know that bought a white iPhone, slipped it into a black iPhone case!

I prefer the look of the aluminium backing and I bough the white 3G and slipped it into a black rubber case. My reasoning for the white one was that it was only in 16GB and may hold it’s value better because of that. This time around I went with black as that capacity difference no longer held true. I would have thought that Product (Red) would have came this time around. Maybe that will be for a mid year release when the sales die down after Xmas.

[teckstud]

Originally Posted by solipsism

How many of you with any iPhones have had to return it because it got to hot, discoloured the plastic, wouldn’t hold a charge or any other HW issue? For those afflicted, was your issue stated to be a battery issue, some other HW issue, SW issue resolved with a restore, or unknown? Did you get it changed in a store or by mail and was the issue well known to the technical staff?

I guess I'll know tomorrow. I hope it all works out. i've been listening to your incessant cheerleading and you've convinced me to buy.

[alectheking]

Originally Posted by solipsism

How many of you with any iPhones have had to return it because it got to hot, discoloured the plastic, wouldn’t hold a charge or any other HW issue? For those afflicted, was your issue stated to be a battery issue, some other HW issue, SW issue resolved with a restore, or unknown? Did you get it changed in a store or by mail and was the issue well known to the technical staff?

I had to get my white 32gig exchanged because of battery issues and for an unknown reason all my audio went out from both speakers and the jack. Restore did not fix any of it but new one is working beautifully, also it was an in-store exchange if it makes a difference.

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by alectheking

I had to get my white 32gig exchanged because of battery issues and for an unknown reason all my audio went out from both speakers and the jack. Restore did not fix any of it but new one is working beautifully

You didn’t happen to write down the serial number by any chance?

[alectheking]

Originally Posted by solipsism

You didn’t happen to write down the serial number by any chance?

I still happen to have the original box but its at home. If you want I can post it up in about an hour or two?