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Do new iphones tend to have a weird smell?

L

lalacharlee

macrumors member
Original poster
Jan 25, 2013
33
0
My iphone 4s that I got at the beginning of January, I had a weird moment and smelt the bottom of my iphone, where the charger slot is. It has a bizarre smell like not burning but a very prominent plastic smell, the end of the charger has this smell too.
My mothers ipad and her charger do not have this smell but are significantly older.

I've read a few threads of iphones magically combusting up into flames and thought I might ask.
Do your new iphones have this smell?
 
All of the electronics I've bought tend to have this "new computer smell" for a while. So it's probably normal.
 
scaredpoet said:
All of the electronics I've bought tend to have this "new computer smell" for a while. So it's probably normal.
Click to expand...
It's such a weird smell to be honest. I can't quite put my finger on it to describe it. But it's very strong when you put your nose right up to it.

I hope it's normal!
 
Personally, I like the smell of leather. That's why I use a Sena leather pouch for my iPhone.
 
Ive only been on this forum for a few months but this is the weirdest thread ive come across.

With that said my iphone smells like plastic i guess.
 
Ooohhh haven't heard this one, Smell-Gate!


Am thinking traces of bio matter is between the contacts of the power feed pins, it's acting as a resistor and "burning" in the process. Attempt to clean. Surfaces of the phone is warm during charge is normal, but hot is not.
 
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Hmm, I've never though of sniffing my phone. If it smells weird, does that entitle me to a new one?
 
Umm...Smell...god, smell the lightning cable. Also the USB portion.

Smell like burnt plastic? If yes, get that cable (and the phone if Apple will let you) replaced.

I had a similar problem with my Jawbone Up and it's cord.
 
mikeydeezy said:
Umm...Smell...god, smell the lightning cable. Also the USB portion.

Smell like burnt plastic? If yes, get that cable (and the phone if Apple will let you) replaced.

I had a similar problem with my Jawbone Up and it's cord.
Click to expand...
Yes, the USB and the USB slot also smell like charging slot and end to it..
 
lalacharlee said:
My iphone 4s that I got at the beginning of January, I had a weird moment and smelt the bottom of my iphone, where the charger slot is. It has a bizarre smell like not burning but a very prominent plastic smell, the end of the charger has this smell too.
My mothers ipad and her charger do not have this smell but are significantly older.

I've read a few threads of iphones magically combusting up into flames and thought I might ask.
Do your new iphones have this smell?
Click to expand...

Mine smells like victory
 
mikeydeezy said:
Bring it to the Apple Store. No need to risk safety.

Do a backup of your iPhone before you go.
Click to expand...
There are no apple stores in New Zealand.
There's not much I can do at this point apart from paying the express fee, which I also can't afford, not with school and all the other necessary things in my life, it actually took me a long time to save up for it after experiencing my mothers ipad and falling in love with iOS. But that was when I had time off school and other things and was able to afford it, and now I can't.

Should of thought about where I was buying the iphone from.. when I got it from the Apple NZ site I assumed there would be an apple store in NZ but turns out the Apple NZ base is in Sydney.

I would of bought it elsewhere if I knew this of course, but I was urged by a few other apple users to get it through Apple so I didn't hesitate. Also made the stupid mistake of not researching if the Apple store was infact in my country without my stupid assumption that it was, you see I tend to buy things online anyway since I don't really go out of my town, just to school, work and friends, so I didn't make myself clear by actually seeing if there was a store, dumb mistake I know.

When I splurged out all of my money on it, it came with a wobbly home button which I was quite OCD to at first but got over it. And when I tried to phone apple I couldn't do much being behind the phone, he'd shut me down everytime and go on and on about how I should buy applecare and when I said I couldn't afford it I got the "Oh" reply and he quickly ended the conversation, bad customer service. He also went on to telling me there is infact an apple factory in NZ I could take it to but he refused to tell me where it was or the postcode to find out where it was. He just told me to go to the 'find store' page and tap in random postcodes till I found it. Later after researching I found he was wrong. I think that was just his way of distracting me from the real point to get me off the phone.

So far my experiences with Apple have been terrible. But there is no doubt that I love this phone and android is measly is comparison (could be argued but this is my opinion)
 
lalacharlee said:
My iphone 4s that I got at the beginning of January, I had a weird moment and smelt the bottom of my iphone, where the charger slot is. It has a bizarre smell like not burning but a very prominent plastic smell, the end of the charger has this smell too.
My mothers ipad and her charger do not have this smell but are significantly older.

I've read a few threads of iphones magically combusting up into flames and thought I might ask.
Do your new iphones have this smell?
Click to expand...

It's the fine smell of that chemical glass cleaner and/or glue that our Chinese friends breath in every day at the factory. Truly harmless. "Oh it's fine...you're not dizzy, just keep making them iPhones and remember your contract says NO suicide"
 
John55455 said:
It's the fine smell of that chemical glass cleaner and/or glue that our Chinese friends breath in every day at the factory. Truly harmless. "Oh it's fine...you're not dizzy, just keep making them iPhones and remember your contract says NO suicide"
Click to expand...
It honestly smells kinda like oranges...
but I think it's just me.

When I first opened it was like a woosh of orange scent in my face, quickly the phone got covered up and then I had my weird moment and it smelt like plasticy orange weirdness and yeah.
 
My old iPhone 4 always had a strong glue smell from its headphone port and inside of the SIM tray slot. It never went away after a year. I actually really liked it and used to sniff it rather a lot...

Disappointingly, my iPhone 5 doesn't smell at all. :(
 
Oh crap you should definitely go to the Apple store and ask for an exchange. When they ask you why, tell them that the port connector smells.

Personally, I have a cold so I don't smell anything. :(
 
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