Apple First Denied Overheating Issues in iPhone 15 and Then Fixed It in iPhone 16

Apple has taken steps to improve thermal management in its latest iPhone 16 series, following reports of overheating issues with the iPhone 15 Pro models after Apple denied any overheating issues. 

When iPhone 15 Pro users reported overheating problems shortly after the device’s release, Apple initially downplayed the issue. The company stated that increased temperatures were expected during the initial setup or when running processor-intensive tasks. 

One other thing: I haven’t experienced any overheating on the 16 Pro, the complete opposite of the experience of many people with the 15 Pro last year. Huge improvement. This problem was denied and then fixed — typical playbook.

— Mark Gurman (@markgurman) September 21, 2024

As the overheating concerns persisted for some users even after software updates, Apple has implemented hardware changes in the iPhone 16 series to better manage heat:

• A new chassis made from recycled aluminum bonded to the titanium frame using solid-state diffusion technology,
• graphite-clad aluminum substructure to conduct heat more efficiently, and
• new thermal system, including a metal battery casing instead of the previous foil covering

These improvements are expected to increase sustained performance by 20% by reducing the need for thermal throttling. However, according to ZDNet said that the enhanced heat dissipation may make the device feel warmer to the touch during normal use.

While Apple has not explicitly admitted to design flaws in the iPhone 15 Pro, the significant thermal management upgrades in the iPhone 16 series suggest the company has taken the overheating concerns seriously.