iPhone 15 users who have noticed their devices overheating may want to spend more of their time touching grass rather than scrolling through Spider-Man memes and celebrity pregnancies all day. According to a few Apple spokespersons, who reached out to Bloomberg (alternate link), Forbes, and other publications over the weekend, iPhone 15 models may, in fact, suffer from overheating issues, but the problem has nothing to do with the hardware or the way they’re designed—the real problem lies with apps and software, such as Instagram and Uber, both of which are apparently not playing well and have already prompted their developers to work on new updates. The iPhone 15 Pro Max, Apple’s new flagship smartphone with USB-C, is now available from $1,199.
“We have identified a few conditions which can cause iPhone to run warmer than expected,” Apple told Forbes. “The device may feel warmer during the first few days after setting up or restoring the device because of increased background activity.”
“We have also found a bug in iOS 17 that is impacting some users and will be addressed in a software update. Another issue involves some recent updates to third-party apps that are causing them to overload the system. We’re working with these app developers on fixes that are in the process of rolling out.”
Apple said it is working with developers behind the apps causing the iPhone to overheat and that fixes are in the process of being released. Some users have identified apps like those from Instagram from Meta Platforms Inc. and that from Uber Technologies Inc. as being problematic.
…For example, Instagram, Uber and Asphalt 9 can all cause the iPhone to get hot and Apple is working with the app developers to address this, and investigating to see if other apps are causing this. I’m told that Instagram introduced a fix with its update on September 27, so it’s good to check your iPhone has the latest version (which is version 302).
Discussion (15 replies)
Join Discussion →I wonder if they borrowed some engineers from ASUS to help develop this version. ;)
Honestly though, seems like iOS or firmware ought to do a better job of reigning in apps to prevent this sort of thing.
Not buying that's is app related. Just like the pixel 6, it was an engineering issue with the hardware.
If your device offers X computational power, but overheats if an app actually uses that power, then it is entirely your fault.
Maybe? If your app mines ETH in the background and is running on a device not intended to run 100% all the time, is it the App's fault or the device's fault?
These aren't ETH mining apps. They're apps in use by millions of people.
It doesn't matter what's the app, and what it does, if your crappy little phone can only offer full power for a few minutes before overheating, you lower the clocks before that happens, it is really that simple.
I disagree entirely. I expect that most phone usage is burst usage, so I want you to give me 4ghz to burst as often as possible and then thermal throttle me as a last resort. Don't reduce the base clock to 1.6ghz so some crappy app can always keep the CPU busy pinging your location and tracking your eyes and fingers every millisecond. Just blacklist the developer until they can behave.
Apps shouldn't be running in the background. Full stop.
For foreground apps, the Firmware or OS should be controlling the TDP so this never happens.
If the phone overheats it is an engineering issue, not an app issue. Why aren't other phones overheating that have the same apps?
You can't just slam an engine twice as powerful without upgrading the cooling in a car either and then tell the user not to use all of it or else it will overheat.
I have to agree. I cannot, off the top of my head, think of any other kind of electronic device that is as widely used by nearly every age group and demographic on the planet as cell phones so the very idea that a company should be okay with releasing one with these kinds of issues is absurd and I really don't understand why they just can't rollout a patch to address it instead of blaming others. Apple is just playing the pure as a snowflake card that they've done for decades. They seem to only take accountability when a lawsuit forces them to.
This is why Apple devices and Mac's are not good for business use.
Well, the good news is that I saw on GMA that Apple has rolled out a fix.
What you want to bet the fix is to undervolt/underclock the device?
I tend to agree with the general consensus - if software is able to cause the hardware to malfunction, it's a hardware malfunction.
Same thing as when games or utilities would fry GPUs - yeah, that sucks and the game is probably doing something stupid, but the GPU should protect itself.
There is only so much high end hardware that you can cram into a small space before heat starts being an issue, and this is proof.