Operating Temp Range - Not fit for purpose

Question

Level 1

0 points

Operating Temp Range - Not fit for purpose

The iPhone 4 operating temp specification is stated as 0° to 35° C.

This range may be appropriate for inside the Cupertino offices of Apple, but it is unrealistic for any real user of this product to adhere to these restrictive conditions.

Most cabin-mounted electronic product for cars are required to operate down to -40° C and up to at least 70° C, because these temperatures are experienced in the real world.

Is it appropriate for Apple to manufacture this phone with such a narrow temperature range? .. or is the iPhone simply not fit for the purpose ?

　

Posted on Jan 22, 2011 3:04 AM

Reply

Answer 1

wjosten

Level 10

95,321 points

Jan 22, 2011 3:39 AM in response to Bako69

Name all the cellular phones available that operate down to -40 Celsius? The Sonim XP3 Quest Pro(made for tough environments) has an operating range down to -20 Celsius.

Reply

Answer 2

Macsastic

Level 4

3,380 points

Jan 22, 2011 4:24 AM in response to Bako69

Id like to know where you are that it gets that cold! Doesn't sound like ANY phone would truly stand up to your environment!

Reply

Answer 3

Tamara

Level 6

13,738 points

Jan 22, 2011 4:34 AM in response to Bako69

I think at -40F or at 160F, you are probably not going to be using a phone so why worry about it?

It works fine in normal environments.

Reply

Answer 4

Jan 22, 2011 5:22 AM in response to Bako69

At the risk of feeding a troll...

The HTC Droid Eris has an operating temperature range of: 32°F to 104°F (0°C to 40°C)

The HTC Droid Incredible has an operating temperature range: 32°F to 104°F (0°C to 40°C)

... which is exactly the same minimum temperature as the iPhone. The iPhone's operating temperature range is similar to other devices of it's type and specification.

Maybe you should compare the operating temperatures of other similar devices from other manufacturers before jumping on Apple's case?

And claiming it is not "fit for purpose" is ridiculous when Apple clearly (especially compared to other manufacturers) states it's purpose and the operating temperature's on its website.

If Apple made bogus claims about its operation, then you could claim it's not "fit for purpose". Plus the iPhone is not marketed as a +"cabin-mounted electronic product for cars"+ - it's a handheld mobile phone.

Reply

Answer 5

Bako69 Author

Level 1

0 points

Jan 24, 2011 3:32 AM in response to Julian Wright

Hi Julian,
Thanks for your interest. Perhaps you missed my point though.

If I leave my iPhone in my car, in the integrated dock, I expect for my iPhone to survive the temperature of the night, or the day, with no permanent damage or loss of data.

I would speculate that other electronics in the car that have been desgined and tested to more relevant operating specs would survive.

If I go outside on a 40+ day, will my iPhone work ?
Is it reasonable for me to expect it to ?

How has Apple arrived at this range ?

Why doesn`t any car exhibit that limitation ?

Does the fact that HTC are also lazy make it right ?

Reply

Answer 6

Bako69 Author

Level 1

0 points

Jan 24, 2011 4:18 AM in response to Bako69

Apparently this topic has ben covered here ->

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2101

Reply

Answer 7

Jan 24, 2011 4:42 AM in response to Bako69

Why doesn`t any car exhibit that limitation ?

LOL! You are comparing a car to a handheld electronic device?

other electronics in the car that have been desgined and tested to more relevant operating specs would survive.

Er, yeah.. that's because, as you say, they have been designed to survive the ranges of normal conditions. The iPhone is not designed to withstand extremes of temperatures.

In the last winter the CD player in my car wouldn't work after a cold night (about -10°) and it wasn't until after about 30 minutes of driving that it started playing a CD properly again. But unsurprisingly, the car itself started first time.

No mobile phone is designed to be left in a car overnight at extremely low temperatures. Why would you want to leave it in the car anyway?

If I go outside on a 40+ day, will my iPhone work ?
Is it reasonable for me to expect it to ?

This is simple common-sense. If you leave anything in the sun, heating up, wouldn't you expect there to be some limits to what it can withstand before adverse affects become apparent?

Any normal person would not subject expensive electronic items to extremes of environment. Would you take a phone, CD player, iPod to a beach and then be surprised if sand got inside it? Would you take the same to a swimming pool and be surprised if water got in it?

There are a lot of complex components in an iPhone that are far more delicate than the simple electronic components in an average car.

Reply

Answer 8

Tamara

Level 6

13,738 points

Jan 24, 2011 4:56 AM in response to Bako69

Where do you live that it gets 160F in the car or -40F? Also, why would you leave a phone in a car to be stolen?

Reply

Answer 9

Jan 24, 2011 4:58 AM in response to Bako69

Bako69 wrote:
...If I leave my iPhone in my car, in the integrated dock, I expect for my iPhone to survive the temperature ...

You can't expect any device survive temperatures they are not made for.

At 70C, the phone don't survive, your music CD don't survive, your ice-cream don't survive, you don't survive.

Reply

Answer 10

Jan 24, 2011 6:14 AM in response to Tamara

I have just read that British engineers are to send a mobile phone into space to see if it can cope with the most challenging environment of all. Unfortunately it is an Android device not an Iphone 🙂

Reply

Answer 11

Tamara

Level 6

13,738 points

Jan 24, 2011 6:08 PM in response to jeffkinn_uk

I saw that 🙂.

Reply

Answer 12

Jan 3, 2013 10:16 AM in response to Macsastic

Im from Canada and we consistantly hit -10 to -25.... i use my phone alot outside. Im a photographer and i dont like to use my $3000 camera all the time so i like to take nature photos with my phone.... but when it can't handle 0 celcius then its kinda pathetic.i still love my phone tho. just stupid lol

Reply

Answer 13

Mar 24, 2013 4:55 AM in response to Bako69

I have several Apple devices and currently own an iPhone 4S which I upgraded to from a 4.

I was experiencing problems with my phone shutting down whilst taking photos in cold conditions and Apple replaced the phone under warrantee whilst admitting there could be a fault. The replacement initially appeared to be better but still shuts down, even under less demanding tasks such as listening to music via a Bluetooth headset. This morning, when listening to music whist out walking, the phone shut down spontaneously. I put it into my shirt pocket to warm it up. There was 24% battery remaining when it started up later.

I live in southern England where the temperatures often fall to 2C. I do not wish to cart my larger camera with me as I consider the iPhone takes good enough pictures for most purposes. I agree that it would be unreasonable for me to expect the phone to work in arctic conditions and understand that other phones have limited operating parameters. However I consider that iPhone is an aspirational product with a premium price and not simply just another mobile phone. Apple markets the iPhone as being different from other mobiles so I do not consider it unreasonable to expect a better specificaiton than the rest.

I regularly walk in the early morning at all times of the year. Is it unrealistic to expect my iPhone to be able to play music for the entire duration of my walk or allow me to take scenic photographs?

Should I have my device strapped closely to my body in order to keep it warm? Taking a photo might then be a challenge as the phone appears to die quickly once it is removed from an inner pocket.

The iPhone 4 did not appear to have the same limitations as my 4S

Reply