There are reports of some Apple iPhone 6 users facing issues with magnetic accessories adversely interfering with the functions of their shiny new smartphones. Magnets have been known to interfere with electronic devices and accessories for many years so what"s the new problem?
Apparently Apple has been telling accessory makers that are part of its MFi (Manufactured for iPhone) program to avoid certain metallic and magnetic accessory furniture. An official Apple document does already talk about these issues but a reminder has gone out to MFi licensees, reports 9to5Mac.
#Magnetgate?
The problems that may arise due to accessories constructed with magnetic and metallic components revolve largely around; the Apple iPhone compass, the NFC performance and the camera"s optical image stabilization (OIS). Magnetic accessories, or items containing magnets near the smartphone, can glitch any of the above trio of functions. However some very popular case accessories, for example, are equipped with magnets as part of their functionality.
An example of a problematic iPhone 6 accessory is a Rokform magnetic mountable case, pictured above. The makers are now advising users that the magnetic component should be removed from it should they suffer from NFC interference. In another example, we see the camera"s OIS being adversely affected, in a video a user attached a magnetic telephoto lens to the iPhone 6 and then "it freaked right out."
Skip to 2:00 for the "freak out"
For now we advise Apple iPhone 6 users who value their smartphone"s compass, NFC or OIS functionality to avoid buying magnetic accessories which they can"t easily return in the case of negative symptoms.