We told you yesterday that some 3G S iPhones are overheating and discoloring their white plastic back covers. While these reports have been going around the net Apple remained mysteriously quite.

Now thanks to sharp eyed people we find a new warning up on the Apple support site. The new warning (dated June 25 2009) says the operating temperature range for the iPhone 3G and 3G S.

To put it simply, unless you live in a idyllic part of the world that gets neither very hot nor very cold you should not use the iPhone 3G or 3G S. The operating range is quite simply ridiculous.

Here are the details from Apple's KB article:

Operate iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS in a place where the temperature is between 0º and 35º C (32º to 95º F). Low- or high-temperature conditions might temporarily shorten battery life or cause the device to temporarily stop working properly.

Store iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS in a place where the temperature is between -20º and 45º C (-4º to 113º F). Don't leave the device in your car, because temperatures in parked cars can exceed this range.

Yesterday in good old Orlando Florida it was 92F, just a mere three degrees away from hitting the upper range. It is not uncommon for it to hit much higher than that as the summer progresses. So it looks like I am in for poor battery life and bad reception as well.

On the opposite side I know of many places where the average temperature range far exceeds Apple's stated range at both the high and low ends.

I wonder how this coupled with the MMS and Tethering issues (AT&T only) will affect iPhone sales in the US and also why, if this is the stated range, was there no warning like this with the iPhone 3G last year?