A mountain biker in Australia recently had an iPhone he was carrying in his pocket explode on him during a ride at Manly Dam. According to the Daily Mail, Gareth Clear was out for a solo ride when he he took a minor spill. After getting up, he noticed smoke coming from his shorts and felt something hot against his skin.
The burning phone melted his cycling shorts and stuck to his skin. The only way he was able to get the phone off was to punch it, after which he heard a loud bang. The phone was so hot he had to use two sticks to pick it up after letting it cool down for nearly 20 minutes.
Gareth is now using Twitter to get the word out about the potential danger smartphone users face. It’s not clear whether the fall broke the phone and ruptured the battery or if something else like sweat set off the dangerous reaction. Gareth has reached out to Apple to let them know about the issue but has yet to hear back.
I personally ride with my iPhone in my pants pocket fairly regularly, though after hearing about this situation I might have to reconsider. At the very least, I’ll be sure to check my phone after any falls to make sure the phone is not on fire!
For more details and additional photos, click over to the story at the Daily Mail.
