iPhone fire on Australian plane caused by shoddy screen replacement
An investigation into the cause of an iPhone 4 that began glowing and emitting "dense smoke" on a flight landing in Sydney, Australia last fall has traced the problem to a battery punctured by a screw misplaced during a botched attempt to replace the device's screen.
The incident, which occured last November, initially stoked concerns about the safety of high powered lithium batteries in general, given other isolated cases of battery failure including a batch of Sony batteries used in Apple's iBook and PoweBook G4 notebooks in 2006, and an separate problem with first generation iPod nano units from 2005 and 2006.
However, rather than being a manufacturing defect, a report by ZDnet notes that the Australian Transport Safety Bureau found the overheating iPhone was caused by a screw left behind during a screen replacement performed by an unauthorized repair center.
The relatively large screw, "from the bottom of the unit, adjacent to the 30-pin connector," was discovered inside the body of the device in an X-ray (shown above), where it punctured the battery pack, resulting in its overheating.
Referencing the Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority's recommendations, the ATSB's chief commissioner Martin Dolan stated that "when traveling with mobile phones, laptops and other portable electronic devices ? or just their batteries ? passengers should, wherever possible, carry them in the cabin, and not in checked-in baggage."
Dolan also noted that the incident "highlights the importance of good maintenance and repair processes for these devices, and the risk of using non-authorised repair agents."
The incident, which occured last November, initially stoked concerns about the safety of high powered lithium batteries in general, given other isolated cases of battery failure including a batch of Sony batteries used in Apple's iBook and PoweBook G4 notebooks in 2006, and an separate problem with first generation iPod nano units from 2005 and 2006.
However, rather than being a manufacturing defect, a report by ZDnet notes that the Australian Transport Safety Bureau found the overheating iPhone was caused by a screw left behind during a screen replacement performed by an unauthorized repair center.
The relatively large screw, "from the bottom of the unit, adjacent to the 30-pin connector," was discovered inside the body of the device in an X-ray (shown above), where it punctured the battery pack, resulting in its overheating.
Referencing the Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority's recommendations, the ATSB's chief commissioner Martin Dolan stated that "when traveling with mobile phones, laptops and other portable electronic devices ? or just their batteries ? passengers should, wherever possible, carry them in the cabin, and not in checked-in baggage."
Dolan also noted that the incident "highlights the importance of good maintenance and repair processes for these devices, and the risk of using non-authorised repair agents."
Comments
How do you leave a screw inside an iPhone? How does it FIT?!
It's a bit immoral of the owner to let Apple suffer all that bad publicity, and fail to mention the phone had been repaired by Dodgy Bros, Inc.
I am sure Apple will be sued anyway.
Hea hea hea hea. >)
See, I told you guys that Apple's quality was worse than other phone manufacturers and Apple's qc was sub par!
Oh, wait...
I think just about everyone called it when "battery damage" was the cause. How someone manages to fit a screw and still get the battery to fit, let alone work doesn't make sense. Either the owner was "in" on the defect, or didn't turn it on until the flight after it had been repaired.
Maybe Apple's proprietary screws aren't such a bad idea after all. Not that they would have helped with iPhones & family.
This may be a case for the Darwin Awards. http://www.darwinawards.com/
Something like this points out the downside of the immediacy of the Internet. I remember this incident. Apple critics and fudsters jumped on this like no tommorw. Now, months later, the truth comes out but it's too late. The damage has been done. Where does Apple go now to get its reputation back?
This guy will still find a lawyer to sue Apple - he'll say there should be an internal warning system in iPhones that automatically discovers orphan screws.
"Siri - are there any loose screws?"
"Only in your head."
Quote:
Originally Posted by elroth
This guy will still find a lawyer to sue Apple - he'll say there should be an internal warning system in iPhones that automatically discovers orphan screws.
"Siri - are there any loose screws?"
"Only in your head."
He may have a case to sue the repair shop. If he does try to sue Apple that Siri quote would indeed apply...
I wonder what actually happen to all iphone/iPod scares in the past.
Quote:
Dolan also noted that the incident "highlights the importance of good maintenance and repair processes for these devices, and the risk of using non-authorised repair agents."
Like a factory trained or Apple employee is incapable of making an error.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ascii
It's a bit immoral of the owner to let Apple suffer all that bad publicity, and fail to mention the phone had been repaired by Dodgy Bros, Inc.
Indeed. Dodgy Bros LOL. Luckily them air safety blokes were able to investigate properly and not simply scream at Apple.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MacTac
Like a factory trained or Apple employee is incapable of making an error.
Not incapable, less likely. A man/lady off the street screwing (literally) an iPhone is more risky.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Splash-reverse
Aussie, eh! Oi, you left the bloody screw in there.... Look at the size. I wonder what actually happen to all iphone/iPod scares in the past.
A dingo stole the screwdriver.
Don't be ridiculous, babies don't work in phone repair shops, well not in Australia anyway.