13 year old Ariel Tolfree taught me a lesson today: “Don’t sleep with your phone on the bed.” Tolfree had her phone charging on her bed one night when it somehow made it under her pillow, where it proceeded to combust.
The girl’s Samsung Galaxy S4 had a replacement battery which apparently began to swell and catch fire. Samsung recommends not using any other brand of battery than their own while using their phones.
For the most part, cell phone users should be wary of third party batteries.
Similarly, Apple doesn’t condone leaving their phone under blankets or pillows while charging, fearing the higher risk of a fiery event.
But calm down, Digital Trends says, “You’re far more likely to be struck by lightning, give birth to quadruplets, or be an Olympic medal winner than be hurt by your phone.” Good to know.
In other cell phone news, Congress has passed a bill that is poised to be signed by the president, allowing users to unlock their phones that aren’t bound by contract.
Obama calls the bill “another step towards giving ordinary Americans more flexibility and choice, so they can find a cell phone carrier that meets their needs and budget.”
Wonderful! So we’ll soon be free to choose more which carrier our exploding phones are under.