Reports surface of Apple iPhone 3G S overheating

Reports circulate on the Web that the new Apple iPhone 3G S may have overheating issues

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Is the Apple iPhone 3G S having overheating issues? I've seen some reports circulating on the Web today that indicate some handsets might indeed be affected. And I have my own tale to add to fray.

The story began at French site Nowhereelse.com, with a piece that showcases a discolored white iPhone 3G S whose owner says the discolorations came from the device noticeably heating up during use of the GPS over 3G wireless. This tale and image has circulated today at other U.S. gadget sites, including Gizmodo and Engadget.

[ Check out Paul Venezia's first look: iPhone 3G S is evolution in action. | And for more iPhone reviews and analysis from InfoWorld, see "First look: iPhone OS 3.0 is better for business, but IT won't be satisfied" and "Your next iPhone: iPhone 3.0 update or iPhone 3G S?" | Stay ahead of advances in mobile technology with InfoWorld's Mobile Report blog and Mobilize newsletter. ]

For me, I had noticed from day one that the iPhone 3G S appeared to have similar heat issues to iPhone 3G: The phone's back got warm during use. I thought it curious that handset still got warm in many of the same areas as with the 3G, in part because, Apple had specifically told me that the components inside were reconfigured as compared with the 3G model.

I didn't think too much of this heat thing -- I recall the lower inch of the T-Mobile G1 getting toasty, too, when I had tested that model -- until last night. That was the first time I had used my 16GB iPhone 3G S while it was plugged into the wall outlet.

I don't recall how long I had been using the handset, but I was making my way steadily along The Oregon Trail, thank you. And at some point, I became aware the handset had become very hot. Very, very hot -- not just on the back, but the entire length of the front face, too. I was using a game, and then later the Web browser for reading the news about Michael Jackson, all over a Wi-Fi connection while plugged in. And in those circumstances, well...toasty doesn't even describe how surprisingly hot it got. It was too hot to even put the phone against my face. No discoloration to report, though; I have the black handset, and didn't see any effects.

After my own experience, I wondered if this was an isolated case, or if this was a sign of something bigger. The Nowhereelse.com blog appears to confirm that this may not be an isolated case. Anyone else noticing heat issues?