Apple in hot water over ‘exploding iPhones’

Ten French consumers have now come forward saying their iPhone screens exploded or cracked without explanation. Apple is accused of trying to hush up 15 cases of iPod music players heating up and bursting into flames in the US and in one similar British case,all apparently due to overheated lithium ion batteries.

None of the incidents has caused a serious injury but Apple was forced to defend the safety of its flagship smartphone before the European Union this month,insisting the exploding screen cases were “isolated incidents”.

The US technology giant,which has sold 26 million iPhones and 200 million iPods to date,said it been informed of the French cases,but would not comment until it had examined the damaged phones. “We are waiting to receive the iPhones from the customers. Until we have the full details,we don’t have anything further to add,” Apple Europe communications head Alan Hely said.