An iPhone X user from Federal Way, Washington, on Wednesday, tweeted that his device emitted smoke and exploded after it was updated to iOS 12.1. The owner, Rahel Mohamad, also posted images of his damaged 10-month-old iPhone X. Apple (AAPL) Support responded to the tweet, stating that it was not the expected behavior and promised to look into the case.
According to Gadgets 360, the phone was being charged using Apple’s bundled charger and lightning cable while the OS was being updated.
That's definitely not expected behavior. DM us, so we can look into this with you: https://t.co/GDrqU22YpT
— Apple Support (@AppleSupport) November 14, 2018
“Dark grey smoke started coming from the phone. The update was completed and as soon as the phone turned on, it caught fire,” Mohamad told Gadgets 360. He added that Apple has requested him to ship the device to them for further probe.
AlphaStreet has not been able to independently verify the veracity of the allegation.
This is perhaps the first such incident being reported about an iPhone X. A damaged component or a faulty battery is likely to have caused the fire.
With iPhone hype reaching its peak, Apple needs a reality check
The 10th anniversary iPhone X was launched in September last year to much fanfare. The device has received three updates this year – iPhone XS, XS Max, and a cheaper XR.
Earlier in 2016, rival Samsung had to recall its Galaxy Note 7 after numerous incidents emerged of the smartphone heating up and catching fire, caused by defective batteries. Samsung also permanently stopped the production of the device in October 2017, denting its profits.