Kuo: Thermal Compromises Likely Causing iPhone 15 Pro Overheating

Earlier this week, we began hearing reports that Apple’s hot new iPhone 15 Pro devices really were hot, in fact, they were too hot to handle for some users. Reports began coming in that users were complaining of heat issues with the new iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max handsets,

While some reports pointed to USB-C fast charging as being the possible culprit, other reports indicated users’ handsets were hitting high heat levels when doing simple things like making a phone call or even when the device was sitting idle.

Some of the overheating reports appeared to be connected to the usual setting up and restoring a new iPhone 15 Pro from an iCloud backup, which can be processor intensive. However, there are reports that there is more to it than just a setup and break-in period.

Now, Apple industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has chimed in on the situation, saying the overheating issues are likely caused by “compromises made in the thermal system design” and are not connected to the new fabrication process that TSMC used for the A17 Pro chip.

Kuo says his survey indicates the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max overheating issues are not related to the TSMC’s new 3nm node used in the A17 processor that powers both iPhone 15 Pro-level models.

Instead, Kuo believes that the iPhone 15 Pro’s titanium frame and reduced heat dissipation have had a negative impact on the Pro lineup’s thermal efficiency. He believes that compromises made in the thermal system’s design intended to make the devices more lightweight also reduced the heat dissipation area. Combined with the handsets’ new titanium frame, this has negatively impacted the iPhone 15 Pro’s and Pro Max’s thermal efficiency.

If this is the case, Apple may attempt to remedy the situation via software updates. However, any software-based remedies may be limited unless Apple throttles the A17 Pro chip’s performance.

Kuo believes that unless Apple properly addresses the issue, they may see a negative impact on shipment numbers over the iPhone 15 Pro series’ product lifecycle.

It would be unusual for Apple to have missed this overheating issue during the extensive testing any new device like the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max go through before being released. This means the issue could simply be a case of runaway processes caused by a bug in iOS 17.0.2, which was rushed out early for the iPhone 15 lineup as a required update when transferring data from an older iPhone. This means a software update could remedy the issue without the need for throttling the A17’s performance level.

Until Apple comes up with a remedy for the overheating issue, users are advised to unplug the device if it is charging and power it down. They should let it sit in a relatively cool area but should not attempt to cool the device quickly by sticking it in the refrigerator or a freezer.

Slower charging speeds may also help the situation, so try charging your iPhone 15 Pro or Pro Max with a lower-power USB-A charger via a USB-A to USB-C charging cable. Wireless charging is always an option. Unfortunately, wireless charging is known to generate heat under normal conditions.