According to reports confirmed by Forbes, Apple is currently aware of issues causing models of the new iPhone 15 to get too hot and overheat. This is part due to certain third-party apps and a bug in iOS 17 and appears to be affecting large portions of the first generation of iPhone 15 models released.
Without getting too deep into details, Apple has confirmed to Forbes names of certain apps partially affect (or at fault, depending on how you look at it) as well as confirmed their plans to issue a new update to fix these issues here soon.
However, as we’ve seen in cameras and other tech releases of late that have faced similar overheating issues after possibly being pushed before they could do too much testing, these products might struggle the most when doing some of the hardest tasks, like shooting 4K video at up to 60p.
Let’s take a closer look at these overheating reports, as well as Apple’s coming updates to fix these issues, to see how they might affect the iPhone 15’s video usability.
iPhone 15 Overheating Issues
While there have been reports online about overheating issues, this Forbes feature is the first official confirmation from Apple about these being a real concern. Which, if you’re a fan of Apple products, you’re probably happy to hear that the company is addressing these issues and working to take care of them.
“We have identified a few conditions which can cause iPhones 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.”
However, it also sounds like it goes beyond just issues with the setup and restore from backup features as other bugs have been found too both internally and in third-party applications.
“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.” A quote from Apple via Forbes.
So it sounds like there are levels to these overheating issues. But regardless, the issues are real and might jeopardize certain iPhone 15 models for different uses until a new update is released.
Affected iPhone 15 Apps and Uses
Now, we know the stigma associated with the phrase “smartphone filmmaking” and how scary or insulting that might be to some filmmakers and video professionals. Yet, whether you love it or hate it, everyone has to admit that iPhones are indeed being used more and more for different video production and content creation needs. (It's not a 35mm camera, but the iPhone 15 is perhaps surprisingly capable.)
One of the third-party apps reported to be at risk or fault here is Instagram, which is well-known to be much more than a photo sharing social media platform. Instagram users record and upload lots of video, which can certainly push the internal processing powers of your iPhone — and, understandably, potentially cause overheating issues.
However, Meta looks to have released an update for Instagram back on September 27th to deal with these specific issues.
What to Expect Next
A short answer to all of these questions and concerns will most likely be provided with a new iPhone update, which Apple confirms is coming soon. It’s also worth noting that most of these issues appear to be centered around the base iPhone 15 models as opposed to the Pro and Pro Max models which make use of titanium, which Forbes reports is much better at dispersing heat.
Also, for any overheating issues currently affecting any iPhone 15 models, Apple tells Forbes that they are designed to shut off before any long term damage can occur.
Finally, for those concerned about their current (or future) iPhone 15 models and any video recording needs, a new iOS 17.1 update looks to already be in beta and should be released soon. Although Apple has not provided a timeline just yet.
