Apple is blaming a software glitch as well as other problems linked to well-known apps like Instagram and Uber for the heating up of its recently announced iPhone 15 models and the complaints that they were getting too hot to handle.
The Cupertino, California, corporation announced on Saturday that it is working on an upgrade to the iOS17 operating system that runs the iPhone 15 series to stop the handsets from getting too hot. It is also dealing with apps that are running in ways “causing them to overload the system.”
The social media software for Instagram, which is owned by Meta Platforms was adjusted earlier this week to stop heating up the iPhone using the newest iOS version.
Apple said in a release that the upgrades for Uber and other apps, like the game Asphalt 9, are still being rolled out. While it did not provide a release date for its own software repair, it stated that owners of the iPhone 15 shouldn’t experience any safety problems while waiting for the update.
After media reports documented overheating problems that are common on online message boards, Apple issued a brief comment: “We have identified a few conditions that can cause the iPhone to run warmer than expected.”
The Wall Street Journal emphasized the concerns in a piece noting the overheating issue in its own testing of the new iPhones, which went on sale a week ago.
During the first few days of use or when they are being restored using backup data saved in the cloud, it’s not uncommon for new iPhones to get too warm. Apple already alerts consumers to these problems. The handsets can also grow warm when running processing-intensive apps like video games and augmented reality software, but the heating problems with the iPhone 15 models have gone beyond those typical circumstances.
Apple acknowledged the issue but emphasized that it wasn’t caused by the premium iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max’s elegant titanium case, which replaced the stainless steel used in earlier handsets.
Apple also denied rumors that the overheating issue with the new models was caused by a switch from its exclusive Lightning charging connector to the more popular USB-C port in order to meet a requirement set down by European authorities.
Although Apple is confident that future software patches will rapidly resolve the overheating issue, the issue could still have a negative impact on sales of the company’s flagship product at a time when overall sales have decreased for three straight quarters.
Sales of iPhones were impacted by the downturn as they decreased by 4% overall in the nine months covered by Apple’s most recent three fiscal quarters compared to the same period last year.
The top-tier iPhone 15 Pro Max now starts at $1,200, up $100 (or 9%) from the corresponding model from the previous year, as Apple attempts to stimulate sales.
Since the company’s market capitalization closed at $3 trillion for the first time in late June, investor concerns about Apple’s unusually weak sales performance have already destroyed more than $300 billion in shareholder equity.
