Now its a Samsung battery to get hot and bothered

[Gary]

It's not just iPhones that have their incendiary moments - some fellow's Samsung Galaxy S II went up in smoke too. In his trouser pocket. I have to wonder if people just take lighters to their phones for publicity sometimes...Its actually a SGS-2 Skyrocket - a recent AT&T model.

http://www.reghardware.com/2011/12/02/samsung_galaxy_s_ii_combusts_in_mans_pocket/

[Simon]

I'm beginning to think these are self inflicted too. 

[Technical Ben]

I don't know. It's not unreasonable to expect such things to happen. It's like being surprised that matches catch fire. 

[Steve]

Not sure about that analogy, we know that defective batteries/chargers can pose a fire hazard whilst charging on rare occasions. I expect a match to catch fire when I strike it on most occasions.

[Gary]

I don't know. It's not unreasonable to expect such things to happen. It's like being surprised that matches catch fire. 

That does not really work at all as an analogy. I expect to send a text, not have my phone catch fire although all electrical devices have risks of one kind or another, but that is a rarity when compared with products that behave as expected, but I expect a match to ignite because that is its primary function. Therefore more matches ignite than phones...

[pctech]

Maybe the phone was overworked.

[Technical Ben]

That does not really work at all as an analogy. I expect to send a text, not have my phone catch fire although all electrical devices have risks of one kind or another, but that is a rarity when compared with products that behave as expected, but I expect a match to ignite because that is its primary function. Therefore more matches ignite than phones...

Well, I agree we don't expect them to catch fire. But they are full of dangerous chemicals and packed with potential energy. We would be careful with a box of matches in our pocket (non-safety matches). The same for the phones. A little crack or hole in the plastic casing to the battery, and who knows what will happen?

[pctech]

Indeed, just look here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithium_ion#Safety_requirements