Apple Investigating Death of Chinese Woman Who Died Charging an iPhone 5
While relatively rare in the grand scheme of things, it's not unprecedented for a mobile phone to cause a physical injury, only up until now they've mostly been related to overheating. A bad battery could heat up until it explodes or catches on fire, leading to the occasional recall, be it for a cell phone, a laptop, or any other electronic device. However, we've never heard of a person dying from using their phone while charging, until now.
Ma Ailun, a 23-year-old woman from China who worked as a flight attendant with China Southern Airlines, was apparently electrocuted when taking a call on an iPhone 5 that was plugged in and charging, Reuters reports. Following the incident, Ma's sister issued a warning to other iPhone 5 users via Twitter, which ended up going viral.
In an emailed statement to Reuters, Apple said it was "deeply saddened" by "this tragic incident," offering up condolences to Ailun's family. The Cupertino company also vowed to "fully investigate and cooperate with authorities in this matter." What Apple didn't say, however, is whether have been other similar reports or if this was an isolated incident.
Ma Ailun, a 23-year-old woman from China who worked as a flight attendant with China Southern Airlines, was apparently electrocuted when taking a call on an iPhone 5 that was plugged in and charging, Reuters reports. Following the incident, Ma's sister issued a warning to other iPhone 5 users via Twitter, which ended up going viral.
In an emailed statement to Reuters, Apple said it was "deeply saddened" by "this tragic incident," offering up condolences to Ailun's family. The Cupertino company also vowed to "fully investigate and cooperate with authorities in this matter." What Apple didn't say, however, is whether have been other similar reports or if this was an isolated incident.
