Apple has been investigating reports of exploding iPhones over in France. According to Apple, the phones in question broke as a result of "external pressure," not because they overheated and exploded.A handful of iPhone owners in France have complained that their iPhones "exploded." What, exactly, does "exploded" mean in this context? The 10 users say that their iPhones' glass displays shattered in their hands. One boy was said to have received an injury to his eye as a result, though he refused to turn over his broken iPhone for examination.

French authorities began looking into the matter. Apple collected some of the iPhones that exploded. After examining them, Apples says:

As of today, there has been no confirmed incident linked to battery overheating in the iPhone 3GS, and the number of cases we are investigating amounts to less than a dozen. The iPhones with broken screens that we have been able to analyze so far show, in all cases, that the cracks were caused by an external pressure upon the iPhone."

So what's really going on here? Are these customers sitting on their iPhones or dropping them, and then trying to blame Apple? Are they looking to get a free iPhone, or are they looking to get a payday? Are they lying or telling the truth?

The reports sound fishy at best, and the fact that the one person claiming to have been injured is refusing to turn in his iPhone speaks volumes about how solid he thinks his case is.

Apple and French authorities have not closed the case yet, so perhaps more pertinent details will arise.