The latest iPhone software update had a specific purpose: to sort the issue some iPhone users had with overheating. And new evidence suggests it’s working, without damaging performance in the process.
Apple iOS 17.0.3 launched on Wednesday, October 4. That was quick, because Apple only broke its silence on the topic last Saturday, September 30, when it contacted me with a statement. The release specified that along with security issues, it had another purpose, saying it “addresses an issue that may cause iPhone to run warmer than expected.”
Note that Apple didn’t specify which iPhones. Not only have owners of earlier iPhones complained their phones were getting too hot to handle, but Apple directly told me that the new titanium and aluminum frame on the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max were better at dissipating heat, suggesting it really couldn’t have been the cause here.
It was still an issue, though, and 9to5Mac pointed out that more than half of readers responding to its poll (57%) had experienced some kind of overheating. Of course, people may reply to such a poll if they are having issues, so it may not be representative. Even so, if the publication’s findings aren’t replicated across a wider audience, it’s a big figure. I’ll add that I have had no overheating issues with any of the iPhone 15 review units I’ve been testing.
Almost half of those replying (27%) had experienced a hot iPhone during normal use, rather than during demanding use or charging, when a temperature increase might be more expected.
Now, Jason Hiner at ZDNet has run some thermal imaging tests, with striking images of the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max that show the temperatures of the phones when it’s fast-charging.
There are two big conclusions to the tests:
1. The Overheating Problem Has Been Resolved
Using a Forward-Looking InfraRed camera, Jason Hiner measured the heat before installing the iOS update and found that during fast-charging with a 35W charger, the phone got as hot as 107.1 degrees Fahrenheit (41.7C). Which is hot.
Hiner then installed iOS 17.0.3 and let the phone batteries drain. The next fast-charging provided different results, maxing out at 93.8 degrees Fahrenheit (34.3C) and they “never got more than slightly warm to the touch,” Hiner said.
2. iPhone Performance Has Not Suffered
There had also been concerns that the performance would be reduced if overheating was addressed by throttling the phone. Apple had said in its statement to me that this would not be the case, and Hiner’s tests bear this out. Hiner said, “Apple does not appear to have reduced performance in order to better control the heat of the iPhone 15 Pro models. I haven’t noticed any differences in the speed or responsiveness of either phone. Apple Insider also ran benchmarks on the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max after updating to iOS 17.0.3 and detected “little or no variance” with the pre-update benchmarks of both phones.”
I’ll be monitoring the response to the update in my Should You Upgrade post as the week goes on, so please check there for any news, good or bad. But for now, at least, things look promising.
Read the full article here
