UPDATE: Ambulance NSW has confirmed to Gizmodo that an iPhone was not involved in the emergency incident described below. More details here.
According to reports, a Sydney woman was admitted to hospital this week after suffering an electric shock from her iPhone. The 28-year old woman, who is in a stable condition at Royal North Shore Hospital, is the latest victim of volatile smartphone malfunction — a trend that appears to be on the rise.
Image credit: Shutterstock (Nicole Kidman; edited by Gizmodo)
The Sydney iPhone incident — which thankfully wasn’t serious — comes just one week after Chinese woman Ma Ailun was allegedly electrocuted, fatally, by her iPhone. A doctor at the scene told Wall Street Journal reporters that her neck showed obvious signs of electronic injury.
“We are deeply saddened to learn of this tragic incident and offer our condolences to the Ma family. We will fully investigate and cooperate with authorities in this matter,” Apple said in a statement.
While serious injury is uncommon, smartphones have been known to occasionally catch fire, cause shocks and even explode like a bomb. This is usually caused by an overheating lithium battery combined with insufficient ventilation. Overcharging your phone can also cause the same issue.
While the chances of your phone turning into Old Sparky are extremely small, excessive heat can still completely ruin your phone. You should try to avoid third-party chargers and batteries, especially cheap no-name brands. Also, if you notice your phone feels hotter than usual, switch it off immediately — that Facebook selfie isn’t worth dying over.
[Via SMH]