Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

janeauburn

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Nov 22, 2015
1,315
2,234
Have a 15 Pro Max here, white, 1tb. Never had a phone get this hot. Can go from not hot to uncomfortably hot just by browsing the web and listening to music in the background. Do something "crazy" like actually download some songs from Apple Music, and be prepared to put that phone down, it's so hot.

Anyone else?

Sending this stupid thing back. iPhone 15 Plus is just fine. Never even gets warm.

Apple's got a problem on its hands. Normally I take all these "gate" things with a huge grain of salt, but this "gate" is real. It's sitting right next to me.
 

now i see it

macrumors G4
Jan 2, 2002
11,257
24,287
I don’t have any of the 15 phones but I’ve read plenty of threads here about heat issues on them.
They always follow the same course: The OP complains of a hot iPhone and then people comment. Some say that their 15x doesn’t get hot at all while some others will say that their phone gets hot too.
It isn’t an iOS 17 issue because some get hot and some don’t running the same OS.

My suspicion? There’s variances in the new TSMC 3Nm SOC and some of them run hot while others don’t.
There was an article on MR talking about the yield of the new chip before the iPhone 15 launched and it wasn’t particularly high - they were having trouble with it.

The list of “errata” on Intel chips is publicly available and it’s a jaw dropper for all their chips. The list is long. It’s likely just as true with TSMC chips if not more so because it’s a new teensy weensy node size of the first generation.

That’s my suspicion anyway. Not based on any factual evidence.
 

thaisxs

macrumors newbie
Aug 16, 2009
7
2
I am also encountering this after update to 17.1.1 iphone pro max natural titanium. (never had this hot in the previous update 17.0 / 17.1 ) It gets really hot even idle. i think is a software bug again
 
  • Like
Reactions: janeauburn

janeauburn

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Nov 22, 2015
1,315
2,234
I don’t have any of the 15 phones but I’ve read plenty of threads here about heat issues on them.
They always follow the same course: The OP complains of a hot iPhone and then people comment. Some say that their 15x doesn’t get hot at all while some others will say that their phone gets hot too.
It isn’t an iOS 17 issue because some get hot and some don’t running the same OS.

My suspicion? There’s variances in the new TSMC 3Nm SOC and some of them run hot while others don’t.
There was an article on MR talking about the yield of the new chip before the iPhone 15 launched and it wasn’t particularly high - they were having trouble with it.

The list of “errata” on Intel chips is publicly available and it’s a jaw dropper for all their chips. The list is long. It’s likely just as true with TSMC chips if not more so because it’s a new teensy weensy node size of the first generation.

That’s my suspicion anyway. Not based on any factual evidence.

This is my suspicion, as well, which means the only solution for those suffering this fate is to send the units back. Good reason to wait until Apple's extended holiday return periods before buying a new phone.
 
  • Like
Reactions: blkjedi954

janeauburn

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Nov 22, 2015
1,315
2,234
See this: https://www.electropages.com/blog/2023/10/iphone-15-pro-max-tsmcs-3nm-process-blame-heat

"However, one issue that many often overlook is overheating. Even though smaller transistors consume less energy than their predecessors, the packing of more transistors into the same space actually results in an overall increase in heat generation, and this is commonly seen in desktop computers, which have evolved to require high-capacity heat sinks and fans (in some cases, liquid cooling)."

Recent reports have shed light on the heating issues faced by devices using the TSMC 3nm process. Specifically, the iPhone 15 Pro Max has been observed to experience significant thermal throttling, especially during intensive tasks like gaming. Chinese reviewer Geekerwan's tests showed that the device's surface temperature can reach up to 48°C when playing high-end games like Genshin Impact. This is concerning, especially when considering the potential risks associated with overheating, such as battery damage and reduced device lifespan.

TSMC under fire for hot 3nm parts​

Currently, only a handful of devices around the world utilise 3nm parts, and arguably, one of the most iconic of these is the iPhone 15. The use of 3nm has allowed for multiple high-performance cores, AI cores, and much more to be packed into a tiny SoC called the A17 Pro.

However, users of the iPhone 15 have reported that after 30 minutes of use, the mobile processor reaches temperatures exceeding 48˚C. While this temperature may be perfectly acceptable for semiconductor devices, in a mobile application, this temperature rise is potentially disastrous.

=======

The heating problem of the A17 Pro, as highlighted in the recent reports, indicates a potential flaw in the TSMC 3nm process, which needs immediate attention.
 

janeauburn

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Nov 22, 2015
1,315
2,234
I am also encountering this after update to 17.1.1 iphone pro max natural titanium. (never had this hot in the previous update 17.0 / 17.1 ) It gets really hot even idle. i think is a software bug again

Doubtful that it's a software bug. Had a 15 Pro Max shortly after release, and it had no heat issues.
 

MacDaddyPanda

macrumors 6502a
Dec 28, 2018
993
1,162
Murica
my 15 pro max only got excessively hot after the 17.1.0 update. 17.1.1 I have not experienced this. And in my daily use thus far I have not noticed any excess heat. And prior to 17.1 I noticed no excess heat as well.
 
  • Like
Reactions: janeauburn

streetskooler

macrumors member
Oct 6, 2008
48
11
I think it’s 17.1.1. I have an iPhone 15 pro and with the most recent update the battery life is not great and gets pretty warm, but not hot. However it’s the first iPhone I’ve ever had that got noticeably warm with normal use.
 
  • Like
Reactions: janeauburn

Bobbuilds69

macrumors member
Jun 8, 2022
84
205
I don’t have any of the 15 phones but I’ve read plenty of threads here about heat issues on them.
They always follow the same course: The OP complains of a hot iPhone and then people comment. Some say that their 15x doesn’t get hot at all while some others will say that their phone gets hot too.
It isn’t an iOS 17 issue because some get hot and some don’t running the same OS.

My suspicion? There’s variances in the new TSMC 3Nm SOC and some of them run hot while others don’t.
There was an article on MR talking about the yield of the new chip before the iPhone 15 launched and it wasn’t particularly high - they were having trouble with it.

The list of “errata” on Intel chips is publicly available and it’s a jaw dropper for all their chips. The list is long. It’s likely just as true with TSMC chips if not more so because it’s a new teensy weensy node size of the first generation.

That’s my suspicion anyway. Not based on any factual evidence.
Or it could possibly be an app and that’s why not all the phones get hot.
 

darkelipse04

macrumors member
Nov 5, 2004
76
56
Philadelphia
No overheating problems on my launch day 15 PM. I'm not sure this is another gate as lets say antennagate that did have an impact on every single phone sold. This seems to be a software issue.
 

Allen_Wentz

macrumors 68040
Dec 3, 2016
3,378
3,829
USA
Have a 15 Pro Max here, white, 1tb. Never had a phone get this hot. Can go from not hot to uncomfortably hot just by browsing the web and listening to music in the background. Do something "crazy" like actually download some songs from Apple Music, and be prepared to put that phone down, it's so hot.

Anyone else?

Sending this stupid thing back. iPhone 15 Plus is just fine. Never even gets warm.

Apple's got a problem on its hands. Normally I take all these "gate" things with a huge grain of salt, but this "gate" is real. It's sitting right next to me.
Yet my 15 PM and millions of others have been fine since day one. If it went "from not hot to uncomfortably hot just by browsing the web and listening to music in the background" I would take it to an Apple Store for evaluation - - not whine online.

If Apple told me to piss off, then I would whine on line.

Edit: My 15 PM has not just been fine, it has been superb. Currently running 17.1.1. With the 13 Pro I found it necessary to turn off the camera app after use or the 13P and 14P iPhones would overheat in my pocket. Turning the camera off is now muscle memory just like it is with my Nikons (same reason) because I take pix every day, so I do not know if it still happens with the 15 PM. But a similar bug/issue could probably present with any app.
 
Last edited:

Charlesrfinal

macrumors member
Mar 1, 2021
63
57
hi how much battery life are you getting? how much screen on time ..while using how much % of battery?
thanks!
I'm getting 2 days out of a charge.

I let it get to 5%, then 10-18w charge to 100. Once on 100 I go to low power mode and leave it there.

It's better than my 14PM. That's for sure.

Then again my 13PM had better battery performance than my 14Pm.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Chris_99

Chris_99

macrumors newbie
May 23, 2023
28
1
so you charge your phone to 100 % and the use it on low power mode for 2 days? is that correct?

would you share you battery analysis on iOS screenshot? for the last 10 days? would love to see how much screen on time you got?
I also have a PM would love to see if mine is within the margin of error. however just got it though need more cycles I guess
TIA
 

Eugr

macrumors regular
Dec 3, 2018
178
137
No heat issues on mine. The only time it got really warm was during initial setup, otherwise I don’t see much difference with my 14PM. If anything, it even seems to run cooler.

I don’t use a case though, maybe it helps with heat dissipation.
 

thaisxs

macrumors newbie
Aug 16, 2009
7
2
i sort of managed to root caused the apps are causing the warming 1 is nordvpn and another 1 is instagram but i feel nordvpn app could be the main app that causing the warm. will do more test tonight
 
  • Like
Reactions: Allen_Wentz

Reached

macrumors member
Sep 18, 2023
34
80
Zero issues on mine. When I was setting it up it got hot, but since then absolutely no issues, it's an amazing phone!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Allen_Wentz

ignatius345

macrumors 604
Aug 20, 2015
7,640
13,087
My 15 Pro got incredibly hot last night, for the first time since I got it maybe 8 weeks ago. I wasn't actually using it directly, but it was in the pocket of my coat while I was on a train using my MacBook, which was tethered to the phone for internet. When I put away the laptop and grabbed my phone maybe 40 minutes into this, it was extremely hot.

Haven't had any noticible heat buildup otherwise, so my theory is that the combo of tethering, looking for signal on a moving train, and being in an insulated coat pocket was just too much.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Allen_Wentz

digitalcuriosity

macrumors 6502a
Aug 6, 2015
681
290
My 15 Pro got incredibly hot for the first time last night since I got it maybe 8 weeks ago. I wasn't actually using it directly, but it was in the pocket of my coat while I was on a train using my MacBook, which was tethered to the phone for internet. When I put away the laptop and grabbed my phone maybe 40 minutes into this, it was extremely hot.

Haven't had any noticible heat buildup otherwise, so my theory is that the combo of tethering, looking for signal on a moving train, and being in an insulated coat pocket was just too much.
I had my old iPhone 11 in pocket and the camera got turned on some way, and i felt the heat so i know they can heat up under some conditions.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.