iPod-related overheating and Apple's reaction
Jul 23, 2009 5:26:23 GMT
Post by CharlieChomper on Jul 23, 2009 5:26:23 GMT
I'd like to start this off by emphasizing that the probability of this appears to be small (just given the volume of iPods sold in contrast to the number of actually reported incidents).
However, I've heard of similar incidents in the past regarding this (mostly with the earlier generation iPods--with the likely culprit at the time having been the batteries and Apple swearing they had resolved the matter (as well as supposedly changing to a different battery). However, some of the iPods where this has been continuing to be an ongoing problem are new or from later generations). The article I'm posting a link to was among the more accessible articles of late involving this as well as includes Apple's reaction to the situation.
For some information regarding this, there have been some ongoing incidents of people receiving burns or even electrical shocks or worse as a result of overheating or sometimes even iPods bursting into flames (no one knows exactly what's causing it, however amongst the current suspects would be the batteries again). This has included iPod Shuffles as well as Nanos and Touches. Some iPods involved were brand new and had only just been used.
It apparently took making use of the Freedom of Information Act and nearly eight months in order for Apple to agree to provide documentation to even a news station involving any incidents of this nature (some people who had contacted the company complaining of problems or who had even sent photos of their injuries or damaged/melted iPods were either given the proverbial "run around" by people at the company or told they were not allowed access to such information). The documentation sent contained over 800 pages.
Likewise, there was a recent lawsuit filed against the company by the owner of an iPod Touch, complaining he had been burned by it when it was turned off and inside his pant pocket.
Apple, for their part, is denying that there continues to be a problem even now with iPods or has claimed that the problems in the past were just that--in the past--or maintains they are definitely using different batteries (under the likely assumption that the batteries may still be the problem), but are unwilling to say when they actually may have made the change in batteries.
However, as a number of the incidents that have happened with more recent models, it's led to some questions into whether or not the company actually had made the changes to the batteries as they said they would years ago--or if there could be other problems as well.
Likewise, the company had been notified by the state of California's Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) that they were obligated to notify them of a substantial problem and that if they received any information or were aware of any problems, they were to contact the CPSC immediately regarding them. However, as the current battery that Apple is claiming to use has not had any reported issues, the matter appears to have been dropped for now--the problem lies in that, again, the company is refusing to say as to when they may have changed over to the new battery (however, as some of those who have been affected are iPod Touch owners, it's also raised the question of whether they may even have changed to a different battery as they had claimed).
However, I've heard of similar incidents in the past regarding this (mostly with the earlier generation iPods--with the likely culprit at the time having been the batteries and Apple swearing they had resolved the matter (as well as supposedly changing to a different battery). However, some of the iPods where this has been continuing to be an ongoing problem are new or from later generations). The article I'm posting a link to was among the more accessible articles of late involving this as well as includes Apple's reaction to the situation.
For some information regarding this, there have been some ongoing incidents of people receiving burns or even electrical shocks or worse as a result of overheating or sometimes even iPods bursting into flames (no one knows exactly what's causing it, however amongst the current suspects would be the batteries again). This has included iPod Shuffles as well as Nanos and Touches. Some iPods involved were brand new and had only just been used.
It apparently took making use of the Freedom of Information Act and nearly eight months in order for Apple to agree to provide documentation to even a news station involving any incidents of this nature (some people who had contacted the company complaining of problems or who had even sent photos of their injuries or damaged/melted iPods were either given the proverbial "run around" by people at the company or told they were not allowed access to such information). The documentation sent contained over 800 pages.
Likewise, there was a recent lawsuit filed against the company by the owner of an iPod Touch, complaining he had been burned by it when it was turned off and inside his pant pocket.
Apple, for their part, is denying that there continues to be a problem even now with iPods or has claimed that the problems in the past were just that--in the past--or maintains they are definitely using different batteries (under the likely assumption that the batteries may still be the problem), but are unwilling to say when they actually may have made the change in batteries.
However, as a number of the incidents that have happened with more recent models, it's led to some questions into whether or not the company actually had made the changes to the batteries as they said they would years ago--or if there could be other problems as well.
Likewise, the company had been notified by the state of California's Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) that they were obligated to notify them of a substantial problem and that if they received any information or were aware of any problems, they were to contact the CPSC immediately regarding them. However, as the current battery that Apple is claiming to use has not had any reported issues, the matter appears to have been dropped for now--the problem lies in that, again, the company is refusing to say as to when they may have changed over to the new battery (however, as some of those who have been affected are iPod Touch owners, it's also raised the question of whether they may even have changed to a different battery as they had claimed).
