A fake advertisement claiming that the iOS 8 has a new feature that allows iPhones to be charged inside a microwave oven has been making the rounds online. The hoax has raised alarm at the Los Angeles Police Department, who have taken to Twitter to warn people not to charge their iPhones inside their microwave.
Wave Capability a Hoax
The Daily Mail reports that the ad was issued by 4Chan, a website known for housing many of the Internet's pranksters. It claims that the iOS 8 comes with a "Wave" feature that makes iPhones compatible for charging with a microwave oven.
It first floated on the Internet following the release of the iOS 8, and caught on as many people thought it was a legitimate ad. Users have begun posting images of iPhones that were either damaged or still on fire after they have tried the "new feature." This prompted the LAPD to take to Twitter and react.
"This #Wave capability is a #hoax. Don't be fooled into microwaving your #iPhone6. #Apple #Smartphone," the LAPD wrote on Twitter. Their tweet included an image of the ad making its rounds on the Internet, with the word HOAX written across in giant red letters.
May Cause Serious Injuries, Damage to Property
The LA Times quoted the Los Angeles Fire Department warning that the repercussions of microwaving their iPhones may be larger than people think. Brian Humphrey, their spokesman, was quoted in the report saying that doing so may cause serious damage and injury.
"No metal object should ever beplaced in the microwave. Even a little tin foil can cause a fire, so that much metal from a phone could lead to sommanner of explosion," said Humphrey.
The Daily Mail reports that the Los Angeles Fire Department has also begun sending out warnings about the fake ad through different radio stations.
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