News about phones exploding is nothing new. However, when an exploding handset is an iPhone, then the event gets special attention, like in a recent case of an iPhone 6 exploding. Apple is currently investigating an incident of an iPhone 6 exploding in the hands of an 11-year-old girl in California.
Eleven-year-old Kayla Ramos told local news channel 23ABC that the iPhone exploded when she was sitting in her sister’s bedroom. Ramos said she uses the iPhone to watch YouTube videos, and sometimes her younger siblings use it to play games.
“I was sitting down, and I had my phone in my hand and then I saw sparks flying everywhere and I just threw it on a blanket I was right here on the bed and the phone managed to burn through the blanket and make these holes,” Ramos told the local news channel.
Although Ramos suffered some burns in the iPhone 6 exploding incident, the bed and blanket took most of the damage. They now have burn marks and holes where the iPhone landed. The iPhone 6 was also partially disassembled with the display separating from the main body. The inside of the phone is considerably burned.
After the incident, Ramos’ mother Maria Adata contacted Apple Support, and she was asked to send images and the burned phone to the retailer. As of now, there are no comments from Apple, but Adata says the company is investigating. She also says Apple will ship her a new iPhone soon.
As far as why her iPhone may have exploded, she says, “I know we charge it a lot maybe that caused it, maybe it overheated.”
Overheating can result in an explosion, but other factors may also have played a role. For instance, using unauthorized charging cables or chargers or opting for unauthorized repairs can also cause an iPhone to catch fire.
There have been other similar incidents involving an iPhone. For instance, in 2014, a 14-year-old school girl from Kennebunk, Maine suffered burns after her iPhone 5C caught fire in her pocket while she was still at school. A couple of years ago, a video of a smoking iPhone 7 Plus went viral after which Apple released a statement that it was investigating the issue.
Last year an Ohio man complained that his one-month-old iPhone XS exploded in his pants. In November, there were reports of an iPhone X exploding after updating to iOS 12.1. It is not clear if the software update triggered the fire; the phone used the official Lightning cable and wall adapter. In another incident in January 2018, an iPhone battery in a Chinese electronics store caught fire during servicing.
In other iPhone 6 news, Apple will reportedly stop selling the iPhone 6, 6 Plus, and 6s Plus in India soon. In addition to the iPhone 6 line-up, the iPhone SE will also be made unavailable. It is believed that by ending these models, Apple wants to boost the value of its brand. This report comes from The Economic Times, which claims supplies of the models were ended last month. Further, the report states that Apple has informed distributors and the sales team that the entry-level model will now be the iPhone 6s.
Eliminating the lower-cost iPhones will certainly hit Apple sales in the country, but it could help Apple push the latest models on the market. iPhone sales for the April-June quarter reportedly improved after Apple announced a price for the iPhone XR.
“These models which are being phased out will increase the average selling price of iPhones in India and boost both profit and revenue,” Apple’s leading trade partner told ET.
However, to make the new iPhones affordable, Apple is expected to continue with programs like buy-back and cashback offers.
To further penetrate the Indian smartphone market, Apple is relying on iOS 13. The upcoming OS will support 22 Indian languages and include improved maps for navigation. Even Siri will now understand an Indian English accent. Apple is also expanding its iPhone assembly operations in the country. Last year Apple also reduced the number of distributors in India from five to two. This move was aimed at curbing arbitrary discounts.
