2023-09-30 20:00:48
After numerous user testimonials and the small media controversy that goes with it, Apple finally recognized the overheating problem on its iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max.
Unsurprisingly, the firm denies any hardware problem – which would force it to carry out a recall – and mentions software bugs… which would only affect these devices.
Apple denies problem with titanium
In an email sent to our American colleagues (9to5Mac and MacRumors in particular), the firm refutes the idea of a structural problem… on the contrary!
Apple also confirmed to 9to5Mac that the iPhone 15 Pro’s titanium design is not responsible for any overheating issues, contrary to some reports earlier this week. The company claims that the new design actually leads to better heat dissipation than previous stainless steel iPhones. This is likely due to the new internal aluminum substructure.
Finally, Apple emphasizes that there is no risk to the security of iPhone users and there is no impact on long-term performance. iOS has a robust system to prevent overheating. If interior components become unusually hot, iOS will protect those components by attempting to regulate their temperature.
So, the iPhone 15 Pro cools the device better… even though it overheats? Remember that Titanium dissipates heat less well than steel or aluminum. And indeed, the huge part of the iPhone’s chassis is made of aluminum, with titanium actually only covering the external surfaces of the iPhone. However, these are the same elements which are in contact with the fresh air – the iPhone does not have an active dissipator, such as fans or even small radiators.
Software-only issues?
The press release specifies that a software bug has been discovered in iOS 17, which remains entirely possible, but the problem does not seem to affect other iPhone models so far.
We’ve identified a few conditions that can cause the iPhone to heat up more than expected. The device may seem warmer during the first few days after setting it up or restoring it due to increased background activity. We also found a bug in iOS 17 that affects some users and will be fixed in a software update. Another problem is some recent third-party app updates that cause system overhead. We are working with these application developers on fixes currently being deployed.
Developers responsible for overheating the iPhone 15 Pro? This seems very strange, Apple even mentions apps like Instagram, Uber, and the game… Asphalt 9: Legends! It would be fun to see what proportion of users were impacted by playing this title… but why not.
Finally, Apple assures that it will not reduce the performance of the A17 chip to resolve the problem… Some indeed felt that the new SoC, although engraved at 3nm, seemed to heat up abnormally – apart from the battery, this is moreover the only room which really rises in temperature.
Mac4Ever’s life
Historically, Apple has very often denied any hardware problem, even when it was obvious.
Let’s mention at random, the titanium which is flaking on the PowerBook Titanium (it’s going back!), the AntennaGate of the iPhone 4 which we did not hold properly (dixit Steve Jobs) and what to say about the butterfly keyboards of the MacBooks Pro of 2016… this story still lasted more than 3 years! There was also the BendGate of the iPhone 6… which we learned about much later, and thanks to a judge, that Apple was perfectly aware of the problem. At best, Apple repaired or exchanged certain products for free, we have already experienced a number of recall campaigns – but often, these only concerned specific elements, such as the battery or certain components.
Moreover, the firm did not comment this evening on the possible fragility of the iPhone 15 Pro, whose glass back seems easier to break than previous models. Same thing for the thinner edges, the resistance tests still converging towards the idea of a phone which should be avoided when taken out of its protective shell…
For our part, we were indeed able to encounter the problem of occasional overheating (we will come back to this in the test), but only in certain conditions (and without playing Asphalt!). I already found that the iPhone 14 Pro max overheated quite quickly when filming in 4K, and I was hoping for a real improvement in this area… it seems that things are moving in the other direction, despite the more thin and the use of aluminum.
Apple has not specified a date for the release of its patch which should arrive with the next version of iOS 17.
1696111204
#Apple #denies #titanium #problem #mentions #bug