Apple today said the heatwave may be to blame for the breakdown of scores of iPhones -
with some even said to be glowing pink in the warm weather.

The phone manufacturer warned owners of the new iPhone 3GS that leaving them in blazing sunshine
could cause them to malfunction.

The advice came as complaints flooded into the firm, claiming batteries were draining too quickly and
the screen had turned faint.

In extreme cases, owners of the newly-launched white handset, reported that after heating up, the device
turned pink.

Apple admitted that the gadget-packed handset could overheat if left in direct sunlight or hot cars.

As a result the company has posted a warning on its website urging caution during the heatwave.

The advice states: 'Low- or high-temperature conditions might temporarily shorten battery life or cause the
device to temporarily stop working properly.

'Store iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS in a place where the temperature is between -20º and 45º C (-4º to 113º F).
Don’t leave the device in your car, because temperatures in parked cars can exceed this range.'

If the iPhone gets too hot, according to the firm, a warning will appear on the screen advising the user to switch it off.

The warning continues: 'If this message appears, you should turn the device off, move it to a cooler environment,
and allow it to cool before resuming use.

'Some conditions and activities that may activate the temperature warning message:
    * Leaving the device in a car on a hot day.

    * Leaving it in direct sunlight for extended amounts of time.

    * 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.'

A picture of a white iPhone with what appears to be pink scorchmarks on the back has been circulated on the internet.
iPhone 3GS

The phone manufacturer warned owners of the new iPhone 3GS that leaving them in blazing sunshine could cause them
to malfunction

Bloggers on technology websites have been discussing the overheating problems, with some even claiming the handset
can become too hot to hold to the ear.

Melissa Perenson from PC World said she had used her handset to play a game, followed by browsing the web while
it was plugged in.

'In those circumstances, well...toasty doesn't even describe how surprisingly hot it got,' she wrote in a blog.

'It was too hot to even put the phone against my face.'

It is assumed Apple will be eager to solve any technical glitches to their best-selling iPhone 3GS, after it was launched
with great fanfare last month.

It has already sold more than a million worldwide by users eager to snap up the 'ultimate' smartphone.