Xiaomi smartphone 'explodes' while charging

In what could damage Xiaomi's brand image, Mi A1, the company's first Android One smartphone, has reportedly exploded while charging.

In what could damage Xiaomi's brand image, Mi A1, the company's first Android One smartphone, has reportedly exploded while charging. Photo: @nexsad MIUI forums

NEW DELHI: In what could damage Xiaomi's brand image, Mi A1, the company's first Android One smartphone, has reportedly exploded while charging. The incident was shared on the MIUI forum by a user who said his friend was "jolted awake" by the blast in his Xiaomi Mi A1 smartphone. The smartphone in question was 8 months old and working fine without any heating issues, the post, which has now been removed, said, adding that if it was not for protective cover and the distance at which the phone was kept, the user could have been "seriously hurt". "So, my friend bought a Mi A1 about 8 months ago. It was working without problems till date. No heating issues, while charging or otherwise. He had kept it for charging and went to sleep, as he usually does," the post describing the incident read. “My friend's Mi A1 exploded while he was sleeping near it. If not for the protective cover and the distance, he could have been seriously hurt," The phone, it said, "exploded while he was sleeping near it. If not for the protective cover and the distance, he could have been seriously hurt." "Apparently, he was jolted awake at night by something, but ignored it and went back to sleep. In the morning, he found the phone in an extremely damaged condition," it added. To support his claims, the member has also posted photos showing the damaged Mi A1 smartphone. The posts also urged the Mi A1 users to not place the phone neat their "head while charging".