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Why Are Chinese (and Japanese) People Sniffing Their iPhones?

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Folks in China are apparently putting their iPhones under their nostrils and giving them a good old sniff. What do they smell? Pineapples. Yum.


Many Chinese are saying the iPhone's headphone jack smells like pineapple while charging. Online, thread after thread confirms the odor, with some even claiming that the iPhone emits whiffs of peach, apple, or mango. Maybe they're just confusing regular iPhones with China's delicious iPhone 5?

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In neighboring Taiwan, the story made the evening news.

These are not modified iPhones, hacked phones or phony phones, but rather, legally sold handsets.

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According to experts, the smell is from the organic solvents used in cleaning circuit boards. When the iPhone charges, the circuit board gets hot and the cleaning residue evaporates, emitting the pineapple smell.

It's not known whether the odor is harmful, but experts recommend that iPhone owners not huff their phones.

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Earlier this month, there were similar reports in Japan, claiming that the iPhone emitted a similar pineapple smell while charging—compelling many to sniff their phones. I smell nothing. You?

iPhone真有菠萝味体香? [Chongqing via M.I.C. Gadget]