A European court has asked Britain to delay sending a computer expert to face trial in the United States until it can review his request to block his extradition.

The European Court of Human Rights said on Wednesday it needed to examine Gary McKinnon’s complaint that he could face inhumane prison conditions if convicted in the United States.

“The applicant should not be extradited to the United States before midnight on 29 August,” so the court can examine his request at its next meeting on August 28, it said in a statement.

An Infineon chip could be at the root of complaints from around the world that Apple Inc’s new iPhone drops calls and has unpredictable Internet links, according to a research report from Nomura.

BusinessWeek also reported on its website on Thursday that the iPhone is suffering from faulty software on an Infineon chip, and that Apple plans to fix the problem with a software update.

Representatives for Apple and Infineon declined comment.