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iPhone 6 Plus blew up while charging, woman claims

Technically Incorrect: A Hong Kong woman who left her iPhone to charge overnight says she was awoken by a big bang.

Chris Matyszczyk
2 min read

Technically Incorrect offers a slightly twisted take on the tech that's taken over our lives.


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A picture of the woman's allegedly exploding phone posted on a Hong Kong news site. Apple Daily screenshot by Chris Matyszczyk/CNET

It's never amusing to be woken up by a loud noise.

Especially if that noise is coming from your iPhone 6 Plus. Or what's left of it.

A woman in Hong Kong claims this exact thing happened to her on Monday. As EJInsight reports, she said she left the phone to charge overnight by her bedside. This was around 1 a.m.

Seven hours later, she said, there was a bang and the phone was on fire.

When phones explode, one of the suspicions is that unapproved chargers were to blame. However, this woman -- only identified by her last name of Tang -- insisted that all her accessories were Apple products.

She wasn't injured in the incident, saying that quick pillow action put out the flames. However, she reportedly wants compensation from Apple. I have contacted the company to ask for comment and will update, should I hear back.

Though a rarity, this isn't the first time an iPhone -- or any other smartphone for that matter -- has allegedly exploded. Earlier this year, a New Jersey man claimed his iPhone 5C blew up in his pocket, causing third-degree burns.

Three years ago, an iPhone 4 allegedly blew up while charging in a hotel room. There have also been incidents in Australia and Brazil, where iPhones have appeared to spontaneously combust. Just two weeks ago, a man in India claimed his two-day-old iPhone 6 exploded while he was making a call.

There is always the possibility of manufacturing fault or a component failing. In this case, until engineers examine the phone, no one can know.