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Keep killing iPhones, can't figure out why

djc6

djc6

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Aug 11, 2007
946
741
Cleveland, OH
OK, in November 2010 I had an iPhone 3GS 16GB die - it all of a sudden stopped working while using my Altec Lansing inMotion iM600 dock. Black screen, won't turn on, and got very hot even hours after unplugged from the dock. Apple replaced it with another 3GS 16GB.

Last week, same thing - on the Altec Lansing inMotion iM600 dock - died. Black screen, won't turn on, got super hot - stayed hot for many hours. Apple won't replace since its out of warranty.

So I got an iPhone 4 (Verizon) on Thursday. This morning it died suddenly while just going for a walk around the block. Won't turn on, and its getting very hot just sitting there not plugged into anything. I've never had an opportunity to use this phone on the Altec Lansing inMotion iM600 dock however.

Is it possible some accessory of mine is killing these iphones? I have a few of the USB chargers/charging cables from apple that i've collected over the years. I've got two at home, one at the office. I have an Altec Lansing inMotion iM600 dock. I have an iHome iP41 Alarm Clock at work. I have a Griffin PowerJolt SE cable for the car. Is it possible something is shorted out and killing these phones?

I did notice when I plugged the iPhone 4 onto the iHome iP41 Alarm Clock at work on Friday, it said "This accessory is not optimized for this iPhone" and brought up a message about cellular interference. It seems this error is frequently associated with dirty dock connectors - I wonder if the iP41 shorted out the iPhone 4 and killed it, but it took fri/sat/sun to die.
 
Last edited:
Applejuiced said:
Let me guess.
Maybe all those aftermarket junk docks or whatever you plug it into keep frying the iPhones.
Click to expand...

I got them at the Apple Store.. They sell iHome and Altec Lansing products right on their website:

http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/shop_iphone/iphone_accessories/speakers?mco=MjA4MjM2ODE

There is no first party speaker dock since apple killed its ill-fated Apple iPod Hi-Fi. Apple doesn't sell a car power cable either, so I got the Griffin one.

testcard said:
I think there's a pattern emerging here.
Click to expand...

I thought so too, but two died while on the altec lansing, and one died after encountering the ihome dock. They're both bad? I have a 2nd gen ipod nano I use on both that has never died.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
1. Aftermarket docks can't fry your phone, silly. They're the same as the real thing. In fact, most docks can't fry your phone, unless it's one of those high-voltage hi-fi tube amplifier docks.
2. Cellular interference is real. It comes up on docks that have radios in them, or isn't magnetically shielded. Not optimized for iPhone means it wasn't made for the iPhone but will still work, albeit some features disabled. This also cannot kill an iPhone.
3. What can fry your phone? Bad apps, jailbreaks, and other software. Water (Sweat, rain, snow, steam, etc). A bad charger pushing in too much electricity into your phone. Heat. Static.

Most likely, you're facing the biggest problem of all: Heat. Your iPhone most likely did not die. It overheated, like any other tiny powerhouse phones normally do. I heard of some cases of where overheating melted the SIM card, but since you have a Verizon, no worry for that. Try sticking it into the freezer for 30 minutes.

My iPad had a heat problem, where it would shut down and won't turn on. I couldn't turn it on for a month, until I took it to an Apple Store on a cold day and suddenly it booted up! The Genius at the Apple Store told me it overheated, that it's quite common.
 
djc6 said:
The docks also charge the phone; why i'm considering its the docks.
Click to expand...
Like I said, unless there's a power surge, you can't fry your phone with a charger/dock, with the exception of tube amp speaker docks.
From my experiences, most, if not all, car chargers for any type of device has a little fuse inside to prevent these surges from frying your device. That's why the tip of the 9V plug is springy; it's connected to the fuse by a spring.
There's nothing wrong with your dock. Altec Lansing is high quality stuff, I own an IM600 myself for my Nano. Sounds great, had it for 4 years, no malfunction whatsoever. Your iPhones simply overheated.
 
Prodo123 said:
1. Aftermarket docks can't fry your phone, silly. They're the same as the real thing. In fact, most docks can't fry your phone, unless it's one of those high-voltage hi-fi tube amplifier docks.
2. Cellular interference is real. It comes up on docks that have radios in them, or isn't magnetically shielded. Not optimized for iPhone means it wasn't made for the iPhone but will still work, albeit some features disabled. This also cannot kill an iPhone.
3. What can fry your phone? Bad apps, jailbreaks, and other software. Water (Sweat, rain, snow, steam, etc). A bad charger pushing in too much electricity into your phone. Heat. Static.

Most likely, you're facing the biggest problem of all: Heat. Your iPhone most likely did not die. It overheated, like any other tiny powerhouse phones normally do. I heard of some cases of where overheating melted the SIM card, but since you have a Verizon, no worry for that. Try sticking it into the freezer for 30 minutes.

My iPad had a heat problem, where it would shut down and won't turn on. I couldn't turn it on for a month, until I took it to an Apple Store on a cold day and suddenly it booted up! The Genius at the Apple Store told me it overheated, that it's quite common.
Click to expand...

I don't know where to start correcting but most of your post is false.
Aftermarket docks, chargers and other questionable wires will fry your iPhone.
Jailbreaking and software will NOT.
 
Applejuiced said:
I don't know where to start correcting but most of your post is false.
Aftermarket docks, chargers and other questionable wires will fry your iPhone.
Jailbreaking and software will NOT.
Click to expand...

I don't know where to start laughing.
I own an aftermarket Logic3 i-Station Rotate from eBay. This is sold normally for $130; eBay had it for $50. No problems whatsoever.
Jailbreaking and software can brick a phone, effectively frying it.
 
Prodo123 said:
I don't know where to start laughing.
I own an aftermarket Logic3 i-Station Rotate from eBay. This is sold normally for $130; eBay had it for $50. No problems whatsoever.
Jailbreaking and software can brick a phone, effectively frying it.
Click to expand...

I don't know about the particular dock/charger you're talking about but bad docks and many aftermarket car fm transmitters and other plugs do fry iphones. Even if it costs $1000 it doesnt mean it wont unless its made from Apple. Software does not fry iphones. If you're clueless about jb you shouldn't bother talking about bricking before you learn the basics.
 
Applejuiced said:
I don't know about the particular dock/charger you're talking about but bad docks and many aftermarket car fm transmitters and other plugs do fry iphones. Software does not fry iphones. If you're clueless about jb you shouldn't bother talking about bricking before you learn the basics.
Click to expand...

Looks like you're clueless about bad docks. The iPhone itself can detect if the voltage is supported; that's why my FireWire-based IM600 cannot charge my iPhone but my USB-based i-Station Rotate can. The iPhone automatically cuts off the charge electricity if it's not supported.

Plus, I have jailbroken many iPods and iPhones. I myself have an iOS 4.3.1 jailbroken phone. I just jailbroke an iPod Touch w/ 4.2.1, which almost was bricked (Thankfully iREB and TinyUmbrella saved it). That's why I don't like bootrom exploits; they have a chance to brick your phone.
 
Prodo123 said:
Looks like you're clueless about bad docks. The iPhone itself can detect if the voltage is supported; that's why my FireWire-based IM600 cannot charge my iPhone but my USB-based i-Station Rotate can. The iPhone automatically cuts off the charge electricity if it's not supported.

Plus, I have jailbroken many iPods and iPhones. I myself have an iOS 4.3.1 jailbroken phone. I just jailbroke an iPod Touch w/ 4.2.1, which almost was bricked (Thankfully iREB and TinyUmbrella saved it). That's why I don't like bootrom exploits; they have a chance to brick your phone.
Click to expand...

I know, you sound like an expert jailbreaker:rolleyes:
Bricked and fried it's the same thing? an iPhone cannot get bricked permanently thru software. So learn how to use that term "bricked".
 
Applejuiced said:
I know, you sound like an expert jailbreaker:rolleyes:
Bricked and fried it's the same thing? an iPhone cannot get bricked permanently thru software. So learn how to use that term "bricked".
Click to expand...

If a phone is fried, then it essentially becomes a brick.
If a phone is bricked, then it doesn't necessarily become fried.

Yes, it can. You obviously have not seen it happen. I have.

@OP, did you try the freezer method yet?
 
Prodo123 said:
The iPhone itself can detect if the voltage is supported; that's why my FireWire-based IM600 cannot charge my iPhone but my USB-based i-Station Rotate can. The iPhone automatically cuts off the charge electricity if it's not supported.
Click to expand...

Firewire is 12V; USB is 5V. My concern is that the dock has a short somewhere, delivering 12V where it shouldn't and frying the iphones.

Pins 19 & 20 are 12V for firewire charging on the iM600 dock connector; on the iPhone 4 those pins are unused. Pin 23 is 5V for USB. What if the dock connector on the iM600 has a short and is delivering 12V to pin 23 or some other random pin?
 
I am looking for an Apple Dock...NOT aftermarket.
( because I don't want to damage my phone )
Any help? Recommendations?
 
Prodo123 said:
@OP, did you try the freezer method yet?
Click to expand...

Yeah, I tried that, no dice... Verizon is mailing me out a new iPhone 4, just kind of a major PITA.. I had to pay for 2nd iPhone, act as if the first one was a return since inside 14-day return period... new contract, etc..

Alternative was going to the apple store, but that'd be a 3 hour drive, not worth it.
 
djc6 said:
Firewire is 12V; USB is 5V. My concern is that the dock has a short somewhere, delivering 12V where it shouldn't and frying the iphones.

Pins 19 & 20 are 12V for firewire charging on the iM600 dock connector; on the iPhone 4 those pins are unused. Pin 23 is 5V for USB. What if the dock connector on the iM600 has a short and is delivering 12V to pin 23 or some other random pin?
Click to expand...
The iPhone blocks it off. If you apply input electricity to the headphone "Out" contacts, the iPhone ignores them. The same applies to the dock connector pins.

fenskezen said:
I am looking for an Apple Dock...NOT aftermarket.
( because I don't want to damage my phone )
Any help? Recommendations?
Click to expand...

B&W is quality. Expensive, but worth it.
 
djc6 said:
Yeah, I tried that, no dice... Verizon is mailing me out a new iPhone 4, just kind of a major PITA.. I had to pay for 2nd iPhone, act as if the first one was a return since inside 14-day return period... new contract, etc..

Alternative was going to the apple store, but that'd be a 3 hour drive, not worth it.
Click to expand...

6 hour drive round trip is worth it. You see the new iPhone coming out, they tell you what's wrong with the iPhone (if they can figure it out), and they replace it on the spot if there's something wrong.

I feel sorry for you, man. I know how you feel. I'm on my 2nd replacement, 3rd iPhone in total. Apple was kind enough to replace the iPhone both times for free.
 
I keep reading threads about the "next iPhone Killer" ... who knew it was you?

seriously ... good luck
 
Prodo123 said:
The iPhone blocks it off. If you apply input electricity to the headphone "Out" contacts, the iPhone ignores them. The same applies to the dock connector pins.



B&W is quality. Expensive, but worth it.
Click to expand...

The Zepplin...different and ugly in a very cool way. Might have to check that one out! Thanks for the idea.:)
 
Applejuiced said:
An iPhone cannot get bricked permanently thru software.
Click to expand...
Sure it can. I bricked my iPhone 2G while using bootneuter to unlock it. I accidentally hit the home button while it was flashing the baseband and it resprung. I thought nothing of it. Then when I rebooted it, it would only boot to the "connect to iTunes" screen. So I pushed the little i button to see my IMEI and ICCID and it said "unknown" for both. That's when I knew I bricked it. I gave it to my master jailbreaker friend and he told me that the bb chip is screwed. That meant that I needed a new comm board. So what did I do? I bought a 16GB iPhone 2G with a non functioning screen and took the logic board and comm board out of it and put it in my 8GB 2G, making it a 16GB. I leave it on my iHome iP9 and it works just fine as my alarm clock.

Tl,dr: iPhones can be bricked through (not thru :mad:) software. Get off your high horse.
fenskezen said:
I am looking for an Apple Dock...NOT aftermarket.
( because I don't want to damage my phone )
Any help? Recommendations?
Click to expand...

Don't worry about it. Get any dock you want. This is just an isolated case, and nothing will happen to you. One of the OP's docks are probably defective...
 
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