More Incidents Surface of iPhone 8 Plus Devices Burst Open Due to Possible Battery Failure

A small but increasing number of iPhone 8 Plus owners have shared pictures of their devices burst open due to possible battery failure.

iphone 8 plus 1

iPhone 8 Plus with display popped out via MacRumors reader Anthony Wu

MacRumors reader Anthony Wu‏, from Toronto, Canada, said he bought and unboxed a new iPhone 8 Plus on Sunday, but he was forced to return it by Monday after the display popped out. The damage was presumably caused by a defective battery inside the iPhone that swelled and placed pressure on the assembly.

We also received a similar photo today of an iPhone 8 Plus with the display burst open from iRepair, an iPhone, iPad, and Mac repair shop in Greece. In this case, we're told the customer unboxed the device last night, plugged it in overnight, and in the morning it looked as it does in the picture below.

iphone 8 plus 2
In the latter case, the customer was supposedly using only an official Apple power adapter and Lightning to USB cable.

There are now at least five cases of possible iPhone 8 Plus battery failure, following reports in Taiwan, Japan, and Hong Kong last week.

Following the first two reports, an Apple spokeswoman told MacRumors that the company is "aware" and "looking into" the matter. But the company didn't immediately respond to our request for an update on the status of the investigation. Apple routinely looks into any possible safety concerns with its devices.

With millions of iPhones coming off the production line overseas, and thereby millions of lithium-ion batteries being manufactured, it's common in the industry for there to be a very low percentage of defective units.

For that reason, five cases of suspected iPhone 8 Plus battery failure out of millions of devices probably isn't much cause for full-blown concern at this point, but we'll continue to monitor the situation to see if a larger trend develops.

By comparison, there were reportedly hundreds of Galaxy Note 7 devices with critical battery-related failures before Samsung recalled and discontinued the device. Some of the devices caught fire, as well, which posed greater safety risks that even prompted the FAA to ban the device from in-cabin use during flights.

Following a lengthy investigation, Samsung eventually admitted that the Galaxy Note 7's battery had a design flaw.

We'll update this article if Apple responds.

Update: A sixth incident of an iPhone 8 Plus burst open has been reported in China by the Oriental Daily News. (Thanks, Edwin!)

Related Forum: iPhone

Top Rated Comments

bladerunner2000 Avatar
72 months ago
I expect the same vitriol towards Apple on this forum when this was an issue for Samsung.
Score: 79 Votes (Like | Disagree)
paulywalnuts23 Avatar
72 months ago
I expect the same vitriol towards Apple on this forum when this was an issue for Samsung.
First off it is five cases and secondly the phone isn't bursting into flames.

SMH
Score: 62 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Bigsk8r Avatar
72 months ago
That easy screen replacement feature isn't supposed to enable by itself.
Score: 58 Votes (Like | Disagree)
willmtaylor Avatar
72 months ago
I expect the same vitriol towards Apple on this forum when this was an issue for Samsung.
Why? The situations (as of now) are not the same.

The number of incidents is not the same. The instances/circumstances themselves aren't the same.
Score: 40 Votes (Like | Disagree)
djeeyore25 Avatar
72 months ago
I bet ifixit.com is disappointed they didn't get a phone with this defect. Their teardown job would have been much easier.
Score: 37 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dmylrea Avatar
72 months ago
Finally! An end to all the anti-Note 7 battery BS here...there is finally an iPhone 8 battery screw-up. Waiting for apologies from those bashing the Note 7 for it's battery issues in 3...2...1...crickets.

Hopefully by next week, the iPhone 8 will be banned from commercial airlines. :)
Score: 30 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 17 on Phone Feature

Gurman: iOS 17 to Provide Several 'Most Requested Features'

Sunday March 26, 2023 6:05 am PDT by
Apple changed the strategy for iOS 17 later in its development process to add several new features, suggesting that the update may be more significant than previously thought, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports. In January, Gurman said that iOS 17 could be a less significant update than iPhone updates in previous years due to the company's intense focus on its long-awaited mixed-reality...
iOS 16

iOS 16.4 Will Add These 8 New Features to Your iPhone

Sunday March 26, 2023 8:06 am PDT by
Following nearly six weeks of beta testing, iOS 16.4 is expected to be released to the public as soon as this week. The software update includes a handful of new features and changes for the iPhone 8 and newer. To install an iOS update, open the Settings app on the iPhone, tap General → Software Update, and follow the on-screen instructions. Below, we have recapped eight new features and...
apple mixed reality headset concept by david lewis and marcus kane

Some Apple Employees Seriously Concerned About Mixed-Reality Headset as Announcement Draws Closer

Sunday March 26, 2023 8:25 am PDT by
Some Apple employees are concerned about the usefulness and price point of the company's upcoming mixed-reality headset, The New York Times reports. Apple headset concept by David Lewis and Marcus Kane Initial enthusiasm around the device at the company has apparently become skepticism, according to eight current and former Apple employees speaking to The New York Times. The change of tone...
Steve Jobs Theater dusk

Apple Reportedly Demoed Mixed-Reality Headset to Executives in the Steve Jobs Theater Last Week

Sunday March 26, 2023 5:53 am PDT by
Apple showcased its mixed-reality headset to the company's top 100 executives in the Steve Jobs Theater last week, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In the latest edition of his "Power On" newsletter, Gurman explained that the "momentous gathering" is a "key milestone" ahead of the headset's public announcement planned for June. The event was intended to rally Apple's top members of...
top stories 25mar2023

Top Stories: iPhone 15 Pro Design Leak, iOS 16.4 Coming Soon, and More

Saturday March 25, 2023 6:00 am PDT by
We're still almost six months away from the official unveiling of the iPhone 15 lineup, but it seems like every day we're learning more about what to expect from the next-generation models. Notably, this week gave us our clearest look yet at what appear to be some changes for the volume and mute control hardware. iOS 16.4 and associated releases are also right around the corner with some new ...
iOS 16

Apple Releases iOS 16.4 With New Emoji, Safari Web Push Notifications, Beta Changes, Voice Isolation for Calls and More

Monday March 27, 2023 10:03 am PDT by
Apple today released iOS 16.4, the fourth major update to the iOS 16 operating system that initially came out last September. iOS 16.4 comes two months after the launch of iOS 16.3, an update that added Security Keys for Apple ID. iOS 16‌.4 and iPadOS 16.4 can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. It can take a few minutes...
Hero0009

Best Apple Deals of the Week: Samsung's Smart Monitor M8 Gets Massive $250 Discount, Along With Year's Best AirPods Prices

Friday March 24, 2023 10:23 am PDT by
We saw a lot of great deals on Apple products and related accessories this week, including Samsung's iMac-like Smart Monitor M8 for $250 off, a 30 percent off spring sale at Anker, and the year's best prices on numerous AirPods models. All of these deals are still available to purchase right now, so we're recapping them and more below. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these ...
dynamic island

iPhone 15 Dynamic Island to Include New Integrated Proximity Sensor

Friday March 24, 2023 12:27 am PDT by
This year, all iPhone 15 models will include Apple's Dynamic Island that unifies the pill and hole cutouts at the top of the display, but there will also be a material change to the feature that wasn't included in the iPhone 14 Pro models. According to a new tweet by Apple industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the proximity sensor on the iPhone 15 series will be integrated inside the Dynamic Island ...