One year later and Apple never fixed the thermal issues with the iPhone 15 Pro Max. The device just gets too hot when you put it under any type of exertion and it makes it unusable. This has been my favorite design of the Max models of phone, but it is an abject failure in how the phone performs under pressure. This type of scenario happens to me often. Yesterday, I get on a teams call on my phone. 15 minutes into the call my phone gets too hot and the temperature gauge screen comes on telling me my phone has gotten too hot. It's incredibly frustrating and Apple a year in never figured out how to fix it, or maybe it just can't be fixed.
The heat has also crushed my battery health. This is the first time I've ever come up on a year of owning an iPhone that my battery capacity is below 99%. I'm already at 89% after 1 year. I've taken it to Apple to have it looked at and each time they tell me nothing is the matter with it. I still love the phone and will no doubt by the 16, but this one has been a complete bust for me and I hope Apple moving forward does a better job with managing the thermals of their phones.
Its interesting you say this, and I have to say I have experienced a similar situation.
On previous iPhones for sure they have been able to run quite warm but never cause for concern.
iPhones will always run warm in the summer... in direct sun, and when running inefficient or processor intensive apps.
However, this year with my 15 pro max is the first year Ive been brave enough to go case-less (not a mark on it by the way they are far more hardy than people realise).... but its exposed me to direct contact with the phone without a case to dissipate any heat and ive been rather shocked with how hot the phone can routinely get.
For sure, it will always struggle in hot weather in sunlight but on a few occasions ive felt it very hot in my pocket when it shouldn't have been... but also when running certain apps or games its guaranteed to heat up at a quick and alarming rate... far more than previous iPhones.
Im sure its a combination of factors with the smaller chip, the obsession with thinness and lightness and that heat has to go somewhere and Apple are happy enough for it to dissipate through the back glass at the risk of the users becoming alarmed at what they feel. That said its not really acceptable for this to be at the expense of battery health and longevity and its not reasonable for that heat to be damaging the batteries in the way that it night be.
To be honest. I too hope that the 16 is a little better but given the aforementioned penchant for Apple to constantly push thinness and lightness I don't think the problem is going anywhere for now and the 16 will be as hot.
I do wonder how the iPad Pros this year get away with it. Ive not used one but they are insanely thin and mind boggling to realise there is a M4 processor in there as well. Surely they get super hot given they are promoted as pro app level performance and those apps are going to be very processor demanding.