Tests results have shown that Apple Inc’s new iPad throws off a lot more heat than the previous version.
There have been major complaints on Internet forums that the hot-selling tablet computer gets uncomfortably warm after heavy use.

Consumer Reports, a widely followed group that reviews everything from electronics to cars, found that Apple’s new tablet racked up temperatures of 116 degrees Fahrenheit (47 Celsius) after 45 minutes of running an intense action game, up to 13 degrees F hotter than the previous model under similar conditions.

The group, which can be instrumental in the success or failure of consumer products, has not reached a final decision on whether to recommend the latest model of Apple’s tablet.

“During our tests, I held the new iPad in my hands. When it was at its hottest, it felt very warm but not especially uncomfortable if held for a brief period,” reviewer Donna Tapellini said in the report.

The third iteration of the iPad, which hit markets in 2010, set a record for first-weekend sales when it launched Friday.

Hundreds of comments posted on an Apple support website, here#17879177, centered on how the new iPad, which sports a larger battery than its predecessor to power a sharper “retina” display screen and other bells and whistles could get uncomfortably warm.

In response to the complaints, an Apple spokeswoman said the iPad was “within our thermal specifications.” The company’s website lists the normal operating range for the new iPad as between 32 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit, or 0 to 35 degrees Celsius. It is designed to power down should that range be breached.

The new iPad’s battery is 70 percent bigger than the one in the previous version, said Kyle Wiens, chief executive of iFixit, a prominent Apple repair and parts supplier, “So it will run hotter.”he added.

So far, reviews have generally been good for a gadget that experts say falls short of being revolutionary.