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Apple on new iPad heat issue: It's not as hot as you think

The company has said in a statement that the new iPad's heat is "operating well within our thermal specifications."

Don Reisinger
CNET contributor Don Reisinger is a technology columnist who has covered everything from HDTVs to computers to Flowbee Haircut Systems. Besides his work with CNET, Don's work has been featured in a variety of other publications including PC World and a host of Ziff-Davis publications.
Don Reisinger
2 min read
Apple's new iPad.
Apple's new iPad. Doug Ngo/CNET

Some customers say Apple's new iPad is running hotter than its predecessor. But the Cupertino, Calif.-based company says it's just right.

"The new iPad delivers a stunning Retina display, A5X chip, support for 4G LTE plus 10 hours of battery life, all while operating well within our thermal specifications," an Apple representative told CNET today. "If customers have any concerns, they should contact AppleCare."

All Things Digital was first to report Apple's response to heat claims regarding its newly released tablet. Consumer Reports said it is investigating the issue. CNET is also conducting in-house tests and plans to publish a story later today.

Since the new iPad launched on Friday, some customers have been complaining that one of its corners has been heating up to a higher degree than previous iPads. On the Apple specifications page, the company claims that the tablet's operating temperature range is 32 degrees to 95 degrees.

Dutch tech site Tweakers.net (Translate) used an infrared camera recently to see how hot the iPad actually gets. After 5 minutes of running GLBenchmark, the site found that the tablet maxed out at 92.5 degrees Fahrenheit. The iPad 2's hottest point reached 82.9 degrees in the same study.

At what temperature is the iPad too hot? As Apple points out and Tweakers.net seems to confirm, the iPad is running well within the company's self-imposed limits. And as an owner of the new iPad, I have yet to feel the device get anything more than warm in any area. One forum poster, however, recently said the iPad became so hot that a message popped up saying, "the iPad needs to cool down." That said, the person admitted to using the device in direct sunlight--something that can wreak havoc on any gadget after a prolonged period.

Update at 8:50 a.m. PT to include more details and at 12:02 p.m. PT with news of Consumer Reports and CNET conducting tests.