Hot mess: Sonos, Nintendo, Google & Sony join latest overheating crisis

It feels like just yesterday we were all marveling at how sleek and powerful our new gadgets were becoming. Now, it seems like every other week, there’s another story about a device getting a little too hot under the collar. And honestly, I’m fed up with it.

I mean, I recently ditched my Pixel 8 as a secondary phone for a much cheaper Infinix GT 20 Pro because even scrolling through Instagram or playing small games on YouTube Playables turned it into a tiny hand warmer. My MacBook, bless its heart, also starts getting toasty when I have a gazillion tabs open for work research. I even had to invest in a laptop cooling stand just to survive the summer. It seems we’ll have to deal with this a lot more frequently, given how the problem seems to be affecting a whole host of products, with the latest reports being from users with Sonos, Nintendo, Google, and Sony devices.

Sonos recently acknowledged that a “very low” number of its original Roam speakers are experiencing overheating issues. The problem seems to be centered around the USB-C charging port, and while Sonos says environmental conditions play a role, they’ve already pushed out software updates and accessory improvements to try and cool things down. It’s a bit of a bummer when you expect a certain level of quality and then your speaker decides to have a meltdown.

Nintendo, on the other hand, just dropped a new console, the Switch 2, and it’s already facing some heat. Literally! Just two months after its release, Nintendo issued a warning advising users to avoid playing the original Switch and the new Switch 2 in high temperatures. They’re talking about anything above 35°C or 95°F.

As we highlighted last month, some users are reporting their consoles getting so hot they go into sleep mode to cool down, whether they’re docked or in handheld mode. The cause is still a mystery, but it’s not a new problem for Nintendo. The original Switch had overheating tendencies back in 2022, and Nintendo issued a similar advisory. It makes you wonder if they’re just pushing these devices too hard, or if there’s a fundamental design flaw.

Then there’s Google. Oh, Google. It seems like the Pixel 6a just can’t catch a break. Another one of these phones reportedly caught fire, and get this, it happened even after the owner installed Google’s mandatory battery safety update. This is the fifth reported Pixel 6a fire in the past year. Imagine waking up to your phone, charging on your nightstand, bursting into flames and filling your room with toxic fumes. That’s what one Reddit user experienced. Google’s “Battery Performance Program” update was supposed to prevent this by reducing battery performance and charging speeds, but it clearly isn’t a foolproof solution.

Even Australia’s consumer watchdog has warned about the Pixel 6a’s battery overheating. And with the Pixel 10 series on the horizon, and rumors that the standard Pixel 10 might skip a vapor chamber, there’s a real concern that these overheating issues could continue.

And finally, Sony’s PlayStation 5 is also feeling the heat, thanks to a new update for Death Stranding 2. Players are reporting that the 1.007 update is causing their PS5s to overheat, with fans getting louder, especially when using the in-game map. Some are even experiencing random loud in-game volume. It’s a strange bug, and neither PlayStation nor Kojima Productions have said anything about it yet. The advice right now is to hold off on updating the game or stop playing until a fix comes out.

These recent incidents are just the latest in a long line of overheating sagas that have plagued the tech world. It’s not a new phenomenon, and it’s certainly not limited to these big names. Last year, for instance, we reported on a slew of product recalls over fire risks, highlighting how widespread this problem can be. 

We’re talking about everything from rechargeable lights to AI gadgets and even cars. Good Earth Lighting recalled over a million rechargeable lights because their lithium-ion batteries were overheating and causing fires, even leading to a fatality. Humane, the company behind the AI Pin, had to recall its charging case due to a faulty third-party battery cell. Anker, a popular power bank manufacturer, faced its second recall for a power bank that was overheating and posing fire hazards. Even car manufacturers like Ford and Kia have had to recall vehicles due to fire risks related to overheating components.

It’s clear that overheating is a persistent problem in the tech industry, affecting everything from our phones and laptops to our gaming consoles and smart speakers. As consumers, we’re left wondering when these companies will finally get a handle on it. It’s not just an inconvenience; it’s a safety concern. And frankly, it’s a hot mess. Hopefully, these incidents will push manufacturers to prioritize robust thermal management and thorough testing, so we can all enjoy our gadgets without worrying about them turning into mini infernos. Until then, I guess I’ll keep my cooling stand handy.