APPLE is silent on reports their new iPhone 3G S is overheating, with forums worldwide buzzing with talk about issues with the handset.

back in the shape of the battery after using its GPS and 3G software.

More than 70 replies included similar claims plus one suggestion the new iPhone could be used as a cigar lighter.

PC World blogger Melissa J. Perenson said her new iPhone became “very, very hot” during use while plugged into a power point.

“Toasty doesn’t even describe how surprisingly hot it got,” Ms Perenson wrote. “It was too hot to even put the phone against my face.”

In a reply post, another person wrote: “I had my iPhone under my pillow playing music through the headphones for a nap, I awoke with a sharp pain on my left arm under the pillow. I had been burned from the iPhone getting so hot.”

Another comment suggested the claims were a hoax and the discolouration looked more likely to be the result of the phone being placed on a hot surface.

Users of the new iPhone are posting to two topics in the Apple Discussion forum: “Battery getting hot” and “Has Apple acknowledged the battery problem with new 3Gs?”

Reporting a friend’s problem, one forum participant said “the phone got extremely hot. He almost put it into the fridge.”

Apple Australia has not responded to heraldsun.com.au’s requests for comment.

Staff at Telstra and Optus stores in the Melbourne CBD said they were not aware of any customer complaints about the new iPhone overheating.

The back panels of demonstration units fixed to chargers and running all day at Telstra’s T(life)flagship store were fairly warm but not excessively hot.

Optus corporate Corporate Affairs Executive Siobhan Quinn said there had not been customer reports of this problem, but any device issues would be referred to the manufacturer (Apple).

Launching the new iPhone, Apple claimed the improved device now has “longer battery life”.

from http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,25706894-663,00.html