HTC and Sprint respond to alleged defect in HTC EVO 3D [Updated]
We reported on Wednesday about a possible defect in some HTC EVO 3D units, involving overheating during normal use and higher than normal voltage readings while charging. I reached out to both companies after publishing the initial report in order to give them a chance to respond and potentially clear up any misunderstandings.
However, in spite of numerous comments from readers that seem to support the existence of a problem, as well as posts in several forums regarding abnormal battery and charging behaviors, it looks like HTC and Sprint are both either unaware of the issue or unwilling to divulge what they do know.
A spokesperson from HTC simply stated that my concerns "have been forwarded to the appropriate department. I am unable to comment further on this subject." When I continued to press for more specific answers, citing potential safety concerns, he responded by stating, "I can tell you only that the specified output of our chargers is 5 volts at 1 amp. If you feel that your device is not functioning correctly, I respectfully recommend you contact your carrier regarding possible warranty replacement."
Sprint reacted similarly when faced with my inquiry. Spokesperson Michelle Leff Mermelstein (who, incidentally, you can follow on Twitter) stated only, "This is not an issue nor has it been brought forward by any customers to date. We have not been able verify or replicate it in testing of the device." She did not respond to any specific questions regarding high voltage readings or whether it was recommended that customers exchange potentially defective devices. Additionally, the executive office at Sprint has failed to respond to two inquiries on this matter.
While I'm not sure what to make of these responses, I do not think that there is cause for any alarm yet. Indeed, some have suggested that a possible cause of these higher voltage readings is simply an error in the way various battery monitoring apps are pulling this data from the EVO 3D. If this is the case, there is probably nothing to worry about unless your phone is consistently overheating with minimal use and/or battery drain occurs abnormally fast.
It certainly seems that most EVO 3D owners are not noticing these problems, although there is a very vocal minority that is experiencing legitimate issues. If you are a part of this minority, you should probably exchange your phone sooner rather than later – in addition to bringing you peace of mind, this will also help Sprint and HTC isolate potential issues and determine the proper ways to fix them.
In any case, continue to let us know about your experiences in the comments, and we will continue to monitor this situation for any new developments.
Update 7/18: HTC reached out to us again to clarify that the batteries used in the EVO 3D are actually 4.35 volts, not 4.2. Additionally, HTC acknowledged that they have finally looked into the issue of overheating but have still not been able to replicate it themselves.
