Apple's new iPhone reportedly has an alarming battery problem


It has been a little over a year since Samsung was forced to recall its Galaxy Note 7 phones due to the battery's pesky habit of bursting into flames or exploding. Now Apple's newest gadget, the iPhone 8, is looking like it might be acting up too, TechCrunch reports, writing that, as of Thursday, there are "at least six different reports in at least five countries of the iPhone 8 splitting along its seams" because of a swelling battery.
The bloated iPhones are showing "no sign of scorching or an explosion," Reuters writes, so at least there's that. On the other hand, the iPhone 8 starts at $699, which is a lot to pay for a phone that ends up looking like this:
The iPhone 8 only went on sale on Sept. 22, so the product is still in the initial stages of having any kinks ironed out. Apple hasn't released information about sales, either, so it's unclear how many customers risk discovering swollen batteries. The company said it is aware of the issue, and is looking into it.
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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
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