Apple rolled out iOS 17.0.3 a few days ago. The update Apple promised would fix the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max overheating issues that some buyers experienced. Thermal testing that followed the release showed that the software update reduced the new iPhone’s maximum temperature during charging. That was one instance that led to overheating before the iOS 17.0.3 patch.
Testing also showed that Apple had not throttled the performance of the A17 Pro chip. Apps that require lots of processing power, like high-end games, could also lead to overheating.
But it turns out that some iPhone 15 Pro users still complain about experiencing excessive heat coming from the handset. Just as others say their problems were resolved.
Before Apple released the update, I wondered what would happen if Apple failed to fix overheating on the iPhone 15 Pro/Max. I said at the time that Apple could prevent the phone from overheating while charging. It looks like Apple achieved that.
I also said that Apple could find ways to stop overheating while the handset is charging and running regular apps that don’t require lots of processing power. That’s another example of overheating scenarios seen in the wild before the iOS 17.0.3 update.
But I also speculated that the software update can’t deal with heat dissipation issues. These could occur while the handset runs more intensive apps and games. The one fix available in this case is throttling the powerful A17 Pro. That’s something Apple probably doesn’t want to do for obvious reasons.
After testing the temperature of the iPhone 15 Pro models following the iOS 17.0.3, ZDNet says they’ve been receiving reports from users who continue to experience overheating.
iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max users who complained said they noticed overheating while “phone calls, playing games, keeping their phone in their pocket, playing music, using the camera.”
I explained in my previous coverage that smartphones getting warm during intensive tasks is normal. It happens with all phones, especially after prolonged use. Or while a more demanding app is used. But making phone calls, playing music, and taking photos should not lead to overheating incidents.
ZDNet details the case of a graphic designer from Madrid who got the iPhone 15 Pro Max. Gabriel Suchowolski said the handset would get hot while talking on the phone for longer than a minute or taking 4 to 5 photos or more in a row. “Not hot that burns, but hot like toast … in the area to the right of the [camera] lenses and on the side near the volume buttons.”
This was not a problem for the designer’s iPhone 13 Pro. But it continues to happen on his 15 Pro Max even after iOS 17.0.3. Suchowolski’s iPhone 15 Pro Max reached 107.6ºF while overheating.
The user also experienced OLED burn-in, which is unusual for the iPhone, especially a new model. As ZDNet speculates, there might be particular quality issues with this particular unit. Luckily, the designer purchased AppleCare+ and has an appointment to deal with the problems.
ZDNet’s report, available at this link, details other cases of iPhone 15 Pro overheating that followed the iOS 17.0.3. But also the experiences of users who stopped experiencing the issue after the update.
Apple hasn’t readdressed the issue after releasing the fix. If you still experience overheating, you should consider talking to the iPhone maker to investigate your devices. Apple might have to release additional updates to fix other issues that might lead to overheating, but I’m just speculating here.
