According to a report from Chinese news outlet Da Lian Evening News [Google Translate] (via ZDNet), a woman in China suffered eye injuries from her iPhone 5 after it exploded while she was on the phone.

The woman reportedly felt the device's screen become warm after talking for 40 minutes, and eventually it combusted after she tried numerous times to end the call by tapping on the screen. The explosion sent particles of the phone into her eyes and she was rushed to the hospital, where she was eventually treated. Previously, the woman stated that she had dropped the phone once which left a small crack in the upper right corner, but claims the phone was still useable.

exploded_iphone

When she looked at the device to check it, Li then discovered the touchscreen was not responding when she tried to end the call. After a few more tries, the screen exploded.

Li said she felt some debris shooting into her eyes. "I could not open my eyes," she recalled. Her colleagues rushed her to the hospital where the doctor found her eyeball red and inflamed, and identified a scratch mark which suggested an object had scratched it.

An Apple representative has responded to the report and said that the incident would require further investigation and would not typically be covered under product warranty. Earlier this year, a Chinese man was left in a coma after receiving an electric shock while charging his iPhone 4, an incident which followed the death of a Chinese woman under similar circumstances. Both incidents apparently involved the use of unauthorized third-party adapters.

Apple has responded to the incidents by establishing a special page [Google Translate] to its Chinese website informing customers about the identification and use of genuine USB power adapters for the iPad and iPhone, as well as launching a third-party USB charger "Takeback Program" offering official replacement chargers for $10 to anyone who turns in a suspect adapter.

Top Rated Comments

gnasher729 Avatar
161 months ago
Just what china wanted! Apple will get burned big time for this!

According to the woman's own admission, she had dropped the phone before, which had left obvious damage on the screen. That's the first safety rule, don't use an electric device with obvious damage.
Score: 49 Votes (Like | Disagree)
GSPice Avatar
161 months ago
Why is it always the Chinese? I almost don't care about stories like this anymore.
Score: 46 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macbeta Avatar
161 months ago
Its Just Because its Apple

I'm willing to bet that many many accidents happen/caused by other manufactures phones, its just when it happens with an iPhone it gets pumped up by the media.:apple:
Score: 40 Votes (Like | Disagree)
OriginalMacRat Avatar
161 months ago
Why is it always the Chinese? I almost don't care about stories like this anymore.

Because it has the highest concentration of fake iPhones and fake iPhone parts which have safety issues.
Score: 34 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MBHockey Avatar
161 months ago
Why is it always the Chinese? I almost don't care about stories like this anymore.

Yeah, because they aren't real people right?
Score: 33 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Gasu E. Avatar
161 months ago
Yeah, because they aren't real people right?
I assume (I hope!) he meant, "why don't we hear about this kind of thing elsewhere?"
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 26

iOS 26.2 Coming Soon With These 8 New Features on Your iPhone

Thursday December 11, 2025 8:49 am PST by
Apple seeded the second iOS 26.2 Release Candidate to developers earlier this week, meaning the update will be released to the general public very soon. Apple confirmed iOS 26.2 would be released in December, but it did not provide a specific date. We expect the update to be released by early next week. iOS 26.2 includes a handful of new features and changes on the iPhone, such as a new...
iOS 26

iOS 26.4 and iOS 27 Features Revealed in New Leak

Friday December 12, 2025 10:56 am PST by
Macworld's Filipe Espósito today revealed a handful of features that Apple is allegedly planning for iOS 26.4, iOS 27, and even iOS 28. The report said the features are referenced within the code for a leaked internal build of iOS 26 that is not meant to be seen by the public. However, it appears that Espósito and/or his sources managed to gain access to it, providing us with a sneak peek...
iOS 26

Apple Releases iOS 26.2 With Alarms for Reminders, Lock Screen Changes, Enhanced Safety Alerts and More

Friday December 12, 2025 10:10 am PST by
Apple today released iOS 26.2, the second major update to the iOS 26 operating system that came out in September, iOS 26.2 comes a little over a month after iOS 26.1 launched. ‌iOS 26‌.2 is compatible with the ‌iPhone‌ 11 series and later, as well as the second-generation ‌iPhone‌ SE. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones over-the-air by going to Settings >...
AirPods Pro Firmware Feature

Apple Releases New Firmware for AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Pro 3

Thursday December 11, 2025 11:28 am PST by
Apple today released new firmware designed for the AirPods Pro 3 and the prior-generation AirPods Pro 2. The AirPods Pro 3 firmware is 8B30, up from 8B25, while the AirPods Pro 2 firmware is 8B28, up from 8B21. There's no word on what's include in the updated firmware, but the AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Pro 3 are getting expanded support for Live Translation in the European Union in iOS...
macOS Tahoe 26 Thumb

Apple Releases macOS Tahoe 26.2 With Edge Light

Friday December 12, 2025 10:08 am PST by
Apple today released macOS Tahoe 26.2, the second major update to the macOS Tahoe operating system that came out in September. macOS Tahoe 26.2 comes five weeks after Apple released macOS Tahoe 26.1. Mac users can download the macOS Tahoe update by using the Software Update section of System Settings. macOS Tahoe 26.2 includes Edge Light, a feature that illuminates your face with soft...
AirTag 2 Mock Feature

Apple AirTag 2: Four New Features Found in iOS 26 Code

Thursday December 11, 2025 10:31 am PST by
The AirTag 2 will include a handful of new features that will improve tracking capabilities, according to a new report from Macworld. The site says that it was able to access an internal build of iOS 26, which includes references to multiple unreleased products. Here's what's supposedly coming: An improved pairing process, though no details were provided. AirTag pairing is already...
ipados 26 1 slide over

Apple Releases iPadOS 26.2 With Multitasking Improvements

Friday December 12, 2025 10:09 am PST by
Apple today released iPadOS 26.2, the second major update to the iPadOS 26 operating system released in September. iPadOS 26.2 comes a month after iPadOS 26.1. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. iPadOS 26.2 continues with the multitasking improvements that were added with iPadOS 26.1. You can now drag and...
bug security vulnerability issue fix larry

Update Now: iOS 26.2 Fixes 20+ Security Vulnerabilities

Friday December 12, 2025 11:11 am PST by
Apple today released iOS 26.2, iPadOS 26.2, and macOS 26.2, all of which introduce new features, bug fixes, and security improvements. Apple says that the updates address over 20 vulnerabilities, including two bugs that are known to have been actively exploited. There are a pair of WebKit vulnerabilities that could allow maliciously crafted web content to execute code or cause memory...