While Apple hasn't officially responded to the overheating claims over its new iPhone 3G S, the company behind the Mac operating system has posted a Support article outlining some of the causes for this potential issue. The warnings go out to both iPhone 3G and iPhone 3G S users.

In the respective piece, Apple warns users that, if the interior temperature of the device exceeds normal operating temperatures, they may experience the following as it attempts to regulate its temperature:

- The device stops charging;
- Display dims;

- Weak cellular signal;
- Temperature warning screen appears with the message “iPhone needs to cool down before you can use it.” (see image below)

“This message appears when the operating temperature has become too hot,” Apple claims. “This is a safety mechanism that protects the components of your device. If this message appears, you should turn the device off, move it to a cooler environment, and allow it to cool before resuming use.” Nevertheless, Apple reveals, in this state users may still be able to place emergency calls.

Then, the company also begins to outline some conditions and activities that may activate the Temperature warning message. According to Apple, leaving the device in a car on a hot day may trigger the aforementioned warning message. Undoubtedly, customers reporting overheating issues wouldn’t have had the nerve / taken the time to make such allegations knowing it could well be their fault the device had become abnormally hot. Not all of them, anyway.

Other inappropriate conditions include leaving the iPhone in direct sunlight for extended amounts of time and using certain applications in hot conditions or direct sunlight for long periods of time, such as GPS tracking in a car on a sunny day or listening to music while in direct sunlight, Apple stresses. In short: iPhone owners, stay away from the sun!

While the advice should be appreciated (what better way to admit overheating issues if not by posting a Support piece full of warnings on the topic), a software update regulating some of the iPhone’s processes should also be in order, some would say.