iPhone 4 Explodes Midflight on Australian Airline
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Credit: Regional Express
Apple’s iPhones are always among the hottest gadgets of any holiday shopping season, but for one passenger on an Australian flight, the phone was too hot to handle — literally.
While on Australian flight Regional Express ZL319 Friday, a passenger’s iPhone 4 (not the iPhone 4S, which is Apple’s latest model) suddenly started “emitting a significant amount of dense smoke, accompanied by a red glow,” according to a Regional Express statement.
The plane, which was flying from Lismore to Sydney, was in the midst of landing when the incident occured. “In accordance with company standard safety procedures, the flight attendant carried out recovery actions immediately, and the red glow was extinguished successfully,” according to Regional Express’ statement.
After landing, the iPhone was handed over to officials at the Australian Transport Safety Bureau. There’s no official word yet on what caused the phone to combust.
Exploding Apple products are rare, but explosions have happened in the past, mostly related to the devices’ lithium ion batteries overheating.
The European Union launched an investigation in 2009 after multiple instances of iPhones and iPod Touches exploding or catching fire midflight were reported in the U.K., Holland, France and Sweden.
Apple also recalled its first-generation of iPod nanos sold between September 2005 and December 2006 because the battery would overheat and “pose a safety risk,” according to the company’s website.
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Exactly why you are supposed to turn off the phones.. (I’m sure they didnt)
Posted by: David | November 28, 2011, 6:12 pm 6:12 pm
Why was the phone even on?
Posted by: memoryman | November 28, 2011, 6:33 pm 6:33 pm
“iPhone 4 Explodes Midflight” –
Ms. Effron,
There is not mention of any explosion in the original source which clearly states that the event occurred _after landing_.
There is no other conclusion but that you are purposely deceiving the public with misinformation
of your own making.
The first sentence of the Regional Express Media Release clearly states:
“Regional Express (Rex) flight ZL319 operating from Lismore to Sydney today had an occurrence after landing, when a passenger’s mobile phone started emitting a significant amount of dense smoke, accompanied by a red glow.”
It is so important that the media acts responsibly.
Shame on you and ABC News.
Posted by: Veritas | November 28, 2011, 6:43 pm 6:43 pm
What explosion? By all accounts, there was smoking and a glowing device. How is that an explosion? Is your BBQ an explosion? Is your warm fire on a cold night an explosion? How about your Fourth of July charcoal snake or sparkler? Is that an explosion? How about a cigarette? Do you actually understand what the word “explosion” means?
Thank you, ABC, for perpetuating the apparently legitimate notion of media hysteria.
Posted by: Shame, ABC | November 28, 2011, 6:58 pm 6:58 pm
This is why I’ll never buy an Apple product. It’s all shiny externals and garbage engineering. Apple sucks so much
Posted by: Quij | November 28, 2011, 7:34 pm 7:34 pm
Agree with Shame’s post… it’s called incompetent reporting. Trying to “hype” your headline to get more readers?
As for QUIJ’s posting… You must know nothing about engineering to make such an ignorant statement. You are simply biased against Apple. Some people just don’t like anyone other than themselves to be successful, else they deserve bashing in your eyes.
Posted by: teaman | November 28, 2011, 8:53 pm 8:53 pm
These devices emit microwave radiation – if users could see it (just as smoke can be seen from a cigarette) then they may think twice about using them. Convenience is not an excuse to ignore the known adverse health risks associated with this technology.
The younger generation are complete ‘guinea pigs’, surrounded by electrosmog – wifi (also microwave radiation) is now in just about every school in Australia!
This is seen as ‘progressive’ however the Council of Europe recently (May 2011) recommended that wired networks be used and that governments should put in place information and awareness – raising campaigns to outline the potential harmful long term biological effects on the environment and on human health.
I’m not stating the iphone caught on fire due to this radiation – just making a point about their overall safety. Wake up Australia!
Posted by: Jennifer | November 28, 2011, 9:11 pm 9:11 pm
wow – now that is what you call a smoking deal on a phone … one should ask if they are capable of blowing up are they capable of dis-functioning and radiating you and everyone one around you – but how will you ever know if they do not tell you the truth?
Posted by: guest | November 28, 2011, 9:48 pm 9:48 pm
Why does the article shift from smoke (yes) to fire (not witnessed) to red glow (display background) to Explosion (never happened). Hack journalism for sure.
Posted by: David Lindberg | November 29, 2011, 12:08 am 12:08 am
Would everyone wake up.I fly every 8 weeks and I always sit next to someone who has his phone on the entire flight.They hide it when the cabin crew pass.Give me a break,no one could care less about the rule of turning off the phone.If anything ever happened to these people inflight there would be great outcry and we would see how all these innocent people lost their lives.A bunch of people who innocently failed to obey air and safety measures that are for their safety,but no one ever wants to obey anything as it interferes with ones freedom.People make me really sick sometimes.
Posted by: Suzanne Murray | November 29, 2011, 7:01 am 7:01 am
That must have been one hot phone s-e-x session! Holy smoke.
Posted by: JC | November 29, 2011, 8:13 am 8:13 am
For those saying he shouldn’t have had it on while flying, iPhones (and iPods) have something called “Airplane Mode.” You can leave it on without having the phone active.
Posted by: WorkingClass | November 29, 2011, 8:40 am 8:40 am
lamo reporting
Posted by: neal | November 29, 2011, 9:59 am 9:59 am
take all phones at boarding, just like they do guns and knives, wake up world, we are not capeable of being trusted with just the honer system of following the rules!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: browndown | November 29, 2011, 10:55 am 10:55 am
There never was an explosion. This is the Lauren Effron’s (the writer) way of selling the article to the public. Shame on ABC for allowing her to write such a misleading title. Selling news is why the media has such a bias, it’s all about the money. I would suspect that the battery was damaged or defective in such a way that it just caught fire. It happens with lithium batteries all the time. Look up lithium battery fire on youtube and you will see what can happen. Apparently there is no truth in reporting anymore.
Posted by: Kyle | November 29, 2011, 11:07 am 11:07 am
Well tht just sucks
Posted by: Really? | November 29, 2011, 11:41 am 11:41 am
Emily is correct. That is what they do when your flying somewhere. Sorry peeps. :/
Posted by: Caitlyn | November 29, 2011, 1:14 pm 1:14 pm
LMAO, did this happen after loading the I-Smoke app
or I-Fail
Never heard of other phones exploding….
Posted by: JIM | November 29, 2011, 1:40 pm 1:40 pm
Anyone consider that it was in airplane mode and that they were listening to music or playing a game? Why does everyone automatically think that they had it in phone mode? What would be the purpose when you don’t have a signal at altitude? Really people, get over yourselves.
Posted by: Mark | November 29, 2011, 1:55 pm 1:55 pm
Just the facts….
Most all modern cell phones use Lithium based technology batteries.
HOWEVER, there are many different types within that class.
SOME are very safe and SOME are very dangerous.
GUESS which ones are in your phone? The dangerous type! YES, the dangerous batteries are of lithium-POLYMER design.
These batteries are light weight, high capacity, capable of high discharge rates (amps) and are very inexpensive compared to the other types.
Search youtube for Li-PO fire and get an education.
The best batteries for the job are Lithium-MANGANESE types that offer slightly more weight but totally SAFE chemistry. The downside is they cost MORE and at the end of the day its all about the dollar and these companies trying to make a profit while everyone is living on the cheap due to our current elected leaders.
From the heartland,
J
Posted by: JBird | November 29, 2011, 3:11 pm 3:11 pm
I dont understand some of these crazy rules. Why is it ok for people to have their cell phones on and active when they are driving, on a train or on a bus or any other method of transportation except an airplane?
Posted by: johndoe | November 29, 2011, 6:03 pm 6:03 pm
The comments really make me afraid. Yes there is airplane mode on iPhones but during take off and landing as in this instance ALL electronic devices (including iPhones in airplane mode) are to be turned off.
They are simple rules for safety in communication during take-off and landing. Is it really that difficult to just shut your phone off for a few minutes????
Posted by: Jb | November 29, 2011, 10:07 pm 10:07 pm
Shutting off the phone matters not here. Batteries can short-circuit at anytime even with the device off. Try to short at your own risks a simple AA battery for an extended time (I did!) and you’ll be headed for a very interesting show!
Posted by: systemcrash | November 29, 2011, 11:44 pm 11:44 pm
is ABC NEWS receiving direct or indirect PAYOLA from Samsung tech? or ABC News partners with SAMSUNG in business that they’re in for a DEMOLITION JOB of iPhone and othe mac products? observe the other news on samsung being favored allegedly by court in imac class suit on samsung Galaxy tab!!!! why resort to these DIRTY DEMOLITION job?? SAD :(
Posted by: jojo sta. ana | November 30, 2011, 12:42 am 12:42 am
I am not gonna buy iphone 4.But i hope it improves.Or the article could be fake.=)
Posted by: Khan | November 30, 2011, 7:04 am 7:04 am
Anyways whether he had it on or not. The point is it was malfunctioning in such way as to cause potential harm. Unfortunately during QA phase some test cases may get overlooked.
Posted by: Engineer4Hire | November 30, 2011, 9:33 am 9:33 am
@ Mark
Just the facts you left out…
Lithium-MANGANESE batteries are the same ones found in EV’s, power tools, and e-bikes. They are low capacity that would not meet the needs of today’s cellular devices. Lithium-MANGANESE is safer and weighs more because it needs a solid metal enclosure around it which dictates the size and shape of the battery.
Lithium-POLYMER batteries on the other hand have been in use since 1995 and can be easily shaped to fit in today’s ever shrinking devices. This allowed manufacturers to move away from the brick design of the 80′s and start shrinking these devices (mp3 players, cell phones, e-readers, RC cars, etc). The problem associated in the article is because the soft exterior case of the battery was somehow punctured or failed, but considering how often this has happened in the past 16 years, I’ll take my chances with the unsafe POLYMER battery than have a 1980′s brick phone.
Posted by: Jay | November 30, 2011, 1:03 pm 1:03 pm
This def shouldn’t have happened.. But what was their phone doin on during the flight? People are specifically told not to put their phones on airplane mode.. But to TURN THEM OFF…. Sooo……
Posted by: Janis | November 30, 2011, 3:21 pm 3:21 pm
iphones are overpriced junk with ridiculous amounts of restrictions. this is why google android is eclipsing apple in sales
Posted by: android ftw | December 1, 2011, 8:51 am 8:51 am
This is what happens when you make a phone and can’t remove the battery. There are plenty of videos online where you can see a Li-ion Battery explode. Had Apple chosen to make a phone with a removable back (Because of Cost or Battery Replacement Revenue) The phone would not have been damaged.
Posted by: Bill | December 1, 2011, 10:06 am 10:06 am
MY IPOD NANO EXPLODE AND IT WAS OFF.
IT DOESNT HAVE TO BE TURNED ON TO EXPLODE. DONT TALK IF YOU DONT KNOW ANYTHING.
Thanks!
Posted by: annie | December 3, 2011, 7:21 am 7:21 am
If the battery has internal short, turning OFF iPHONE does not stop fire. A turned off phone can easily catch fire you id**ots. It is a poor quality, don’t you get it?
It is simple, DO NOT let any any i-product user board a flight.
Posted by: sagar | December 3, 2011, 9:56 pm 9:56 pm