iPhone 15 Pro sales off to a rocky start as users complained the titanium iPhone 15 Pro overheated up to 122 degrees

“The natural titanium iPhone 15 Pro gets extremely hot, so much so that it becomes difficult to hold. Furthermore, it heats up after just a 2-minute FaceTime call or when scrolling through reels for 8-10 minutes.”

Two weeks ago, we wrote about Apple after the tech giant unveiled its new iPhone 15 Pro with a titanium case and USB-C charging. Now, the sales of Apple’s latest and most expensive iPhone modes may be at risk due to a growing wave of user grievances about overheating issues, with some reporting temperatures exceeding 120 degrees.

“I bought the new iPhone 15 pro, upgraded from the 14 pro, and I wish I hadn’t. My iPhone 15 pro is overheating & feels slower than my old phone somehow, and there is no noticeable difference in the camera output. Don’t upgrade!” iPhone user warned.

The overheating problem is causing the phones to become too hot to handle and even shut down unexpectedly. Depending on the root cause, Apple’s solution may necessitate performance reductions.

“My iPhone 15 Pro Max has major overheating issues after a few mins of use. Things are not looking good so far,” Apple Hub, a user on X (formerly Twitter) known for sharing the latest Apple news.

My iPhone 15 Pro Max has major overheating issues after a few mins of use

Things are not looking good so far… pic.twitter.com/aGNYGOK3Kg

— Apple Hub (@theapplehub) September 24, 2023

For Apple, which relies on iPhone sales for about half of its revenue, this development is far from favorable. The company’s shares had already experienced a 6.6% decline over the past month, compared to a 3.18% loss in the broader computer and tech sector, as reported by Zack’s.

The complaints primarily revolve around Apple’s iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max models, which were released for regular retail sales on September 22, following pre-orders that began on September 15. These high-end devices come with price tags starting at $999 for the Pro and $1,199 for the Pro Max, with the most expensive variant reaching $1,599.

Apple had already encountered a 2.4% decline in iPhone sales for the quarter ending on July 1, and the escalating concerns regarding overheating pose a significant challenge to the company’s efforts to reverse this trend, particularly in a smartphone market already showing signs of weakness. Publicity damage amplifies the issue, exemplified by comments from a prominent Apple-focused account with 740,000 followers.

At first, the story of the overheating problem seems like an isolated incident. But another X user by the name of Mohit Verma shared a similar complaint.

“The natural titanium iPhone 15 Pro gets extremely hot, so much so that it becomes difficult to hold. Furthermore, it heats up after just a 2-minute FaceTime call or when scrolling through reels for 8-10 minutes. This is a new issue for me, as I’ve never encountered this with any previous phone”

The natural titanium iPhone 15 Pro gets extremely hot, so much so that it becomes difficult to hold. Furthermore, it heats up after just a 2-minute FaceTime call or when scrolling through reels for 8-10 minutes. This is a new issue for me, as I've never encountered this with any… pic.twitter.com/Qu0QK1xGLd

— Mohit Verma (@itz_mohitverma) September 25, 2023

In the past, the overheating problem appeared to be most common during the initial setup and when the phone was charging. However, recent users have been reporting that everyday usage is causing the phone to become excessively hot to the touch. One user even said, “I’m just browsing social media, and it’s burning up,” Bloomberg reported. This user recorded temperature readings as high as 42 degrees Celsius, which is equivalent to 108 degrees Fahrenheit.

“Some of the first owners of Apple Inc.’s iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max are complaining that the new devices get too hot during use or while charging, a potential setback for the company’s flagship product. The gripes have spread across Apple online forums and social media networks, including Reddit and X. Customers say that the back or side of the phone becomes hot to the touch while gaming or when conducting a phone call or FaceTime video chat. For some users, the issue is more prominent while the device is plugged in to charge,” Bloomberg wrote.

The news of the overheating problem is not limited to X and Bloomberg. The news is also making rounds on many media outlets.

A Wall Street Journal reporter took it a step further, recording a staggering 112-degree reading by simultaneously charging her phone and engaging in processor-intensive activities. Yet, the most astonishing record comes from a Chinese tech platform, which registered an alarming 122 degrees while downloading the “Genshin Impact” game. Even simply playing the game in high-resolution mode pushed the temperatures back into the danger zone.

As for the root cause of the issue, industry experts are presenting conflicting theories. Initially, attention was focused on TSMC’s innovative 3-nanometer processor. However, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo wrote on Medium Wednesday with a different perspective, suggesting that materials and design may be the primary culprits.

“The primary cause is more likely the compromises made in the thermal system design to achieve a lighter weight, such as the reduced heat dissipation area and the use of a titanium frame, which negatively impacts thermal efficiency.”

In Apple’s pursuit of creating increasingly lightweight phones, there appears to be a trade-off when it comes to heat dissipation. With the iPhone 15 Max’s design focused on incorporating a new titanium frame in place of stainless steel, it’s possible that designers may have pushed the boundaries a bit too far. Kyle Wiens, CEO of iFixit, aptly likens the situation to the “Icarus theory,” suggesting that Apple may have ventured too close to the sun, resulting in the metaphorical melting of its wings.

“Apple flew too close to the sun, and the wings started melting off.” Kyle Wiens told the Journal. 

Meanwhile, some Apple users who had already upgraded to iPhone 15 Pro are warning others not to do the same. For example, venture capitalist Sheel Mohnot, warned on X:

“I bought the new iPhone 15 pro, upgraded from the 14 pro, and I wish I hadn’t. My iPhone 15 pro is overheating & feels slower than my old phone somehow, and there is no noticeable difference in the camera output. Don’t upgrade!“

I bought the new iPhone 15 pro, upgraded from the 14 pro, and I wish I hadn’t.

My iPhone 15 pro is overheating & feels slower than my old phone somehow, and there is no noticeable difference in the camera output.

Don’t upgrade!

— Sheel Mohnot (@pitdesi) September 27, 2023