Comments on: Regarding iPhone 3GS, Overheating, and "the Weather"

By: bryan

bryan — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 22:39:21 +0000

I have been getting the overheated needs to cool down logo 4 times in the last month..Not jailbroken,and its only happens while I have been talking 20-25 minutes at a time..Just saying...it happens..

By: Seeking For Women

Seeking For Women — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 01:14:02 +0000

Wow,I admire Miami Heat! They are the best team in basketball! We will never see another power houseteam like this again! Go James!

By: John

John — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 17:30:25 +0000

Mine overheated only when I left it face up, on a concrete patio table, in direct sunlight, in Texas, in May. It took about 10 minutes worth of 70 degree shade to cool down enough to function. Neat safety feature I thought.

By: nadine

nadine — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 05:05:26 +0000

does the apps still continue running even when you exit to home screen and put the phone on sleep mode? i have iphone 3G jailbroken and i thought that was the reason why i just found it overheating with the battery super drained - i can't open it.

After i charged it last night, i woke up before dawn because it was burning and i can feel the heat through my pillow.. i was able to turn it off and then charge it in the morning but after just a few hours (approx 3), its temperature just a bit higher than normal (but not burning), and without even playing any app or making a call, the battery is already half.

And this unit is barely even a month old!

By: stone ca

stone ca — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 23:40:05 +0000

no jailbreaking.....I have had my iphone 3g since feb 2009. Today it showed the above screen for the first time ever...and the phone wasn't even hot! It hasn't been working properly since....it won't charge etc.... any suggestions?

By: Dalekkiller

Dalekkiller — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 15:49:02 +0000

I've got a 3G and it only used to get hot if I was gaming or using apps for an extended period. Since 3.0 I've noticed it getting quite hot on both the back and the screen. This seems to happen more quickly than before and although the weather's been a bit warmer, I don't think it's entirely down to that. I haven't had a temp warning yet as I either put it in sleep mode or turn it off for a while to cool down.

By: Tmedic

Tmedic — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 17:36:06 +0000

Just today I received a temp warning and had to wait for the phone to cool down before it was usable. Its only 85 degrees out and sunny. I was using it to occasionally text but nothing too heavy, no streaming, no music playing, no video. I received a call and half way into the conversation it shut down and the warning came up.

By: jestes12

jestes12 — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 21:33:16 +0000

I filmed 12 minutes in 100 degree weather and got the over heat warning. Filmed 60 minutes in A/C office and no problem.

16g iphone 3gs - no jailbreak

By: Vorkey

Vorkey — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 00:03:30 +0000

I have been using an iPhone 3G since August 08. Usually my iPhone gets hot when I'm downloading or watching HQ videos. The battery life seems to decrease when it gets hot. Not sure whether the new iPhone actually does have heat issues or not but I think I will avoid getting one for a while just to make sure.

By: Mike M

Mike M — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 23:30:59 +0000

I plug my 3g into my car stereo all the time. It charges while streaming music through the speakers. Often times I'll have a text or google maps up, or loading a page in safari hoping it'll be finished downloading over f@&$ing edge by the time I get stopped by another f@&$ing red light. With the t-tops off in the hot & humid Tennessee sun beating down on my phone, it gets so hot I don't want to put it in my pocket. I feel a little bad about the mistreatment, but I've never seen this warning.

By: Neil

Neil — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 21:44:22 +0000

I only have a 2G iPhone right now, I was gonna upgrade to the new 3Gs, but I think I'm going to wait a bit and see just how true these reports of heating issues are.

By: Nick

Nick — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 21:30:01 +0000

are all these reported heating cases, only affectin the 16gb white models? or all models?

By: Mike

Mike — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 21:17:43 +0000

I've had a 3G since Aug 08, non-JB, and jog w/ my phone 3x a week in 100 degree weather. No issues until loaded OS 3.0 and then after jogging when it was hot or when it's been in my pocket in the heat would start getting an error message stating 'accessory not compatible would you like to turn airplane mode on ?'.

Then the speaker will not work until I turn phone off then back on.

Other times in similar hot conditions it says there is no Sim card. Fix that by turning off/on.

This didn't happen last summer, and I've never had the 'too hot' error message.

By: Neil

Neil — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 20:09:32 +0000

@Mike N: that's exactly my point. 99% of overheating is not related to hardware. It's that people don't know any better and think their phone is defective when a simple restore will fix the problem.

By: DDay

DDay — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 19:57:48 +0000

I live in the south, where our average temp is around 100-110 with the heat index. I purchased the white 3GS for that very reason. I've spent the last three days at the pool for over two hours each day, and while the heat is noticeable on my iPhone, I've never had the warning screen nor a decrease in performance.

As for the user who claimed his o-screen was wearing off, it seems as though it's a hoax. Look at the picture posted. It looks like a greasy screen with a smudge or two.

By: Jeremy Sikora

Jeremy Sikora — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 18:48:43 +0000

If any of you are having overheating issues or you have severe battery drain as well? If so restore from scratch like someone mentioned above. It will solve your issue.

By: Caballera

Caballera — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 18:25:50 +0000

@Chad Lodge Where does anyone blame the jailbreaking community or jailbreaking in general, I read it as they are looking for more information as to why some people are having heating issues and why some aren't. Have to be able to replicate the issue if you want to find out what is wrong.

By: Nick

Nick — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 18:10:44 +0000

Just got a new 3gs and I have noticed ghat the white one does get very warm. It's noticible. Goig to tough it out if not then exchanging it at apple

By: Icebike

Icebike — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 17:07:23 +0000

@Chad

running a jail broken device makes no difference in heat!

I think the potential exists for jailbroken phones to run backgrounded apps. Rene's question may have been focused on that.

There being little reason to background an app unless it is using the radio, you would expect that one or two of these could keep the radio on and chew up more CPU cycles.

A simple jailbreak shouldn't affect heating.

It's what you can do after the break.

Then there is the issue of the quality of some of the code in non Apple reviewed apps. I'm sure Apple would say it is inferior, but I SERIOUSLY DOUBT that.

By: ScousePete

ScousePete — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 16:50:03 +0000

I blame global warming

By: Ot

Ot — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 16:23:38 +0000

I was out at a pool one day and left my 3g on a chair for about 10-15 minutes. I got the overheated message and was not able to use the phone until it cooled down (I held it in the shade Between a towel for about 3 minutes). I haven't noticed any physical changes due to the overheating.

By: Steve Bostedor

Steve Bostedor — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 16:21:59 +0000

My 3G and 3GS both have similar temps after using them heavily for about 20 minutes. Nothing really worth reporting. I think this is a lot of hype about nothing.

By: Bre Bre

Bre Bre — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 16:07:58 +0000

Never had an overheating problem

By: Justin

Justin — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 15:43:29 +0000

I live in Miami and have never had an overheating issue with my 3G or 3GS.

By: Chris

Chris — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 15:24:24 +0000

All these issues point to why I am waiting for the wrinkles to be smoothed out. But still I am concerned about the decision to use a screen coating. And I am as greasy as they come, you'd think I would welcome it!

By: Mike N.

Mike N. — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 15:20:11 +0000

@neil that's not a hardware related issue. that has been a random issue since the original iPhone with a restore correcting it. And you are right when you say not to restore from a previous backup. Always start fresh.

By: Neil

Neil — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 15:13:56 +0000

My new 3GS was overheating on the first day that I got it. It was getting extremely hot and I was not even using it. Turns out the problem was that to get all of my settings and files, I had restored (via iTunes) my new 3GS with a previous backup (which was from iPhone OS 2.1). This was somehow causing a glitch in the OS and causing overheating. The solution, according to Apple was to do a "restore" in iTunes to 3.0, then DO NOT restore from a previous backup and enter all setting manually. This solved the overheating problem. I can't believe Apple is not mentioning this issue more in the press!!!

By: Jeremy Sikora

Jeremy Sikora — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 15:13:41 +0000

@Chris, I wouldn't worry about it honestly. This is a single report - and we don't know what really happened. Start to worry when flocks of people start having issues with it. Also the coating has nothing to do with preventing scratches, it's simply there to cut down on smudges - which it does indeed do.

By: Chris

Chris — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 15:11:26 +0000

Though I do admit, was the coating really necessary? The traditional scratch-resistant glass was a design win for the first two iterations. When I pick up my 3GS I am going to need to maintain screen sheilds. Never needed it on this EDGE iPhone :-/

By: Chris

Chris — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 15:05:35 +0000

Ah! Where would the entertainment value of the forum be without Truth?

By: Federico

Federico — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 15:03:38 +0000

WS at its best. What did Cramer say? Plant a story here and there and Booyah you manipulate a stock. Shameless though to those who blame MSFT for this. They will never stoop that low.

By: Chad Lodge

Chad Lodge — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 15:03:05 +0000

running a jail broken device makes no difference in heat! ive had the iphone 3gs since the day it came out, before the jailbreak, and it started getting hot from day one, when i contacted apple they told me a buggy push feature was causing the mail to continually check for mail which uses allot of power causing the battery to heat up, after restoring and turning my push feature to manual like apple suggested my phone doesn't get hot anymore. don't blame the jailbreaking community, they find and fix more bugs then they cause. if i can call apple and get a strait answer from them im sure the writer of this article could to... this is just rumors, n dont bash jailbreaking!

By: Adam

Adam — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 15:00:49 +0000

Oh and I hope my device does have an issue like the coating wiping off. That will give me a reason to send it to apple and get a brand new one!

By: Adam

Adam — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 14:59:35 +0000

I'm jailbroken and multitasking away, no heating issues.

By: Jeremy Sikora

Jeremy Sikora — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 14:58:33 +0000

@Truth, based off of one little story regarding the screen - can you prove any other cases of that happening let alone prove that is actually the case for that one instance? Didn't think so... and if that coating did "wipe off" that doesn't mean you can scratch the screen any easier with the coating on... no where does Apple claim it will prevent scratches.

As for the cooling issues, any device similar to this get hot under certain circumstances. Don't leave your phone in your car on a 100 degree day!

By: Truth

Truth — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 14:57:51 +0000

@ Rene Ritchie

Next time if you plan on reporting a story already covered by another news outlet please report the entire story.

By: Jack Dodson

Jack Dodson — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 14:54:31 +0000

Have 3G and 3GS. No jailbreaking, similar temperatures experienced on both models (ie warm back after extended use). What I would describe as average usage with regular internet browsing, email, IM, music, occasional viewing of videos, occasional light gaming. No heavy duty processor activity which, I would guess, is the primary factor in the heat issue.

For instance a Macworld reporter noted her 3GS was uncomfortably warm (no discolouration) after watching two hours video with the iPhone plugged into a wall outlet. If I watch two hours of video on my MacBook Pro with it plugged into a wall outlet I have no doubt it would be uncomfortably warm as well.

By: Truth

Truth — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 14:49:53 +0000

You forgot to mention the Oleophobic surface wiping off and allowing the device to get scratched. Apparently the device has some cooling issues that need to be addressed. It does run at a higher clockspeed and in places like Florida where it is 99 degrees in the day and 89 at night the likelihood of the 3gs overheating is quite high.

http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/04/apple-blames-hot-iphones-on-the-weather-others-find-oleophobic/

By: Jeremy Sikora

Jeremy Sikora — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 14:37:13 +0000

I don't buy the whole jailbreak - overheat issue theory for the simple fact that these overheating rumors started before the 3GS jailbreak software was released.

By: @heyart

@heyart — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 14:36:52 +0000

Blame it on the rain...