Apple today acknowledged that its new iPhones are running hot and promised a fix through an iOS 17 update.
In a statement to Forbes, an Apple spokesperson says the company "identified a few conditions which can cause iPhone to run warmer than expected. The device may feel warmer during the first few days after setting up or restoring the device because of increased background activity."
The spokesperson added: “We have also found a bug in iOS 17 that is impacting some users and will be addressed in a software update. Another issue involves some recent updates to third-party apps that are causing them to overload the system. We’re working with these app developers on fixes that are in the process of rolling out.”
Apple did not identify those apps, though Instagram is reportedly among them.
Apple released its iPhone 15 lineup a week ago, and people were quick to report that the Pro models were running hotter than expected. The Wall Street Journal found that some phones topped 112 degrees Farenheit when simultaneously charging and doing processor-intensive tasks such as gaming.
For our review of the iPhone 15 Pro Max, Apple gave us early access to Resident Evil Village, a game that takes advantage of the A17 Pro, and the phone was noticeably warm by the time we were done playing. The phone also got hot during full power-ups.
When reviewing the iPhone 15, meanwhile, we found that the phone got warm while running benchmark tests "but not distressingly so."
Users had speculated that the phone’s overheating problem was due to the titanium material Apple used in the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, but Apple tells CNET that's not the case because they "dissipate heat better than the stainless steel used in prior Pro models."
You can add this to the list of issues Apple has faced with its new iPhones over the years, from the "you're holding it wrong" iPhone death grip on the iPhone 4 to "Bendgate" on the iPhone 6. Early problems are not uncommon with major smartphone launches, but overheating is a concern, since you don't really want your new device to explode and burn down your house.