Apple users fooled into burning iPhones in microwaves

NEW DELHI: This is the perfect example of ‘Don’t believe everything you read on the internet’. Trolls at online imageboard 4chan spread a hoax on the internet, saying that the iOS 8 update includes a feature that allows an iPhone’s battery to be charged when put in a household microwave.
The claim came in the form of an advertisement that looked quite like an Apple ad, proclaiming that Wave technology “allows your device to be charged wirelessly through microwave frequencies.” It also warns users that they should not Wave-charge their devices for more than 300 seconds.
Below is the image spread by 4chan users:

Many iPhone owners (including several who had bought iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus over the weekend) fell for the prank, ending up with a smartphone that was burnt and beyond repair.
The hoax was on Twitter with the hashtag #AppleWave. Here are the reactions of a few people who microwaved their iPhones:



Of course, not all Apple customers fell for the hoax:


This prank is reminiscent of last year’s hoax that iOS 7 makes Apple devices waterproof, which ended up with several iPhone users dunking their smartphones in water. This joke was also promoted by 4chan users, of course.