Apple is blaming a software bug and other issues related to popular apps like Instagram and Uber for causing the recently released iPhone 15 models to heat up, prompting complaints that they become too hot to handle.
The Cupertino, California-based company said Saturday that it is working on an update to the iOS17 system that powers the iPhone 15 series to prevent the devices from becoming uncomfortably hot and working with apps that run in a way “that overloads the system.” . .”
Instagram, owned by Meta Platforms, tweaked its social media app earlier this week to prevent the device from overheating on the latest iPhone operating system.
Uber and other apps such as the Asphalt 9 video game are still rolling out their updates, Apple said. The company did not specify a timeline for when its own software fix would be released, but said no security issues should prevent iPhone 15 owners from using their devices while waiting for the update.
“We have identified a number of conditions that could cause iPhone to become warmer than expected,” Apple wrote in a brief statement to The Associated Press, after media reports detailed complaints of overheating on its online message boards.
The Wall Street Journal amplified the concerns in a story citing the overheating problem in its own tests of the new iPhones, which went on sale a week ago.
It’s not unusual for new iPhones to become uncomfortably warm during the first few days of use or when restoring from backup information stored in the cloud – issues that Apple is already flagging for users. The devices can also get hot when using apps like video games and augmented reality technology that require a lot of processing power, but the heating issues in the iPhone 15 models have gone beyond those typical situations.
In its acknowledgment, Apple emphasized that the issue is not related to the sleek titanium casing that houses the high-end iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, rather than the stainless steel used on older smartphones.
Apple also dismissed speculation that the overheating issue in the new models may have been related to a shift from its own Lightning charging cable to the more widely used USB-C port, helping the company meet a mandate from European regulators.
Although Apple expressed confidence that the overheating issue can be resolved quickly with upcoming software updates, the issue could still dampen sales of its marquee product as the company continues to weather three consecutive quarters of year-over-year declines in total turnover.
The downturn has impacted iPhone sales, which fell 4% in the nine months of Apple’s past three fiscal quarters combined compared to a year earlier.
Apple is trying to boost its sales in part by raising the starting price for its flagship iPhone 15 Pro Max to $1,200, an increase of $100, or 9%, over last year’s comparable model.
Investor concerns about Apple’s uncharacteristic sales funk have already wiped out more than $300 billion in shareholder wealth since the company’s market value first closed at $3 trillion in late June.