Europe investigates iPhone explosions, asks Apple to comment

Yet more trouble for Apple as European Commission consumer watchdogs have asked the company to provide information on its iPhone following several widely-publicised instances in which the screen has cracked.

What sparked this investigation off was the case of a young French customer who was slightly injured when the iPhone screen spontaneously cracked and a shard hit them in the eye.

Ton Van Lierop, EC spokesman for industry and enterprise, said Europe’s taking up the problem in the interests of consumer protection, health and industry. He revealed Apple had been invited to comment on the above incident, but hasn’t done so at this time.

The EC is also seeking information from France and the UK, where an iPod reportedly exploded, as well as from the US government entity in charge of product security.

Regional daily La Provence, which first reported on the case in Aix, has since made two additional claims that iPhone screens have spontaneously fissured. Though with several million sold it’s not unlikely some units will have faults.