iPhone 14 Pro Max keeps freezing

[DonHS]

Hi,

also with iOS 16.2 I am experiencing random freezes which force me to restart the iPhone completely.
I noticed it must have to do with the iPhone losing the internet connection (doesn’t matter if on wifi or cellular) because I open for example Mail and it cannot load the mails. Keeps loading and loading then the Mail app gets all white. Opening Safari the same happens, cannot load a website. Keeps loading, then the app turns white. And so on… all apps that need internet start to freeze the same way.
I tried enabling then disabling flight mode - no change. I have already hard reset my iPhone several times - no change.

The problem is there is no clear pattern I can see. Sometimes I do not face the problem in days, then twice or three times per day.

I am using the dual sim function (one esim and a traditional one).

Anyone else facing the same problem? Or any ideas what I can do? At the moment I really regret having spent so much money on this device.

 

[chabig]

That sounds broken. I recommend you contact Apple for replacement.

 

[DonHS]

Do you think Apple replaces the device? If I go to the Apple Store I can't be certain that the problem appears in exactly that moment.

 

[chabig]

I think they would look at it and run some diagnostics. It sounds faulty, and even if you can't control when it happens the problem might be seen by the tests.

 

[DonHS]

Ok, thank you. Just to have an idea: do you know what exactly could be faulty that results in such a behavior?

 

[chabig]

I have no idea.

 

[now i see it]

Next time it freezes, try to launch an internet speed app and see what happens

 

[DonHS]

It has just frozen again when I wanted to open a newly arrived mail. The mail app tried to load the mail forever and eventually turned white. I then quickly opened Safari and made a speed test on a website which was quite normal. Then I tried to open another website and Safari also froze. Then I opened iOS settings and wanted to have a look at the storage and it couldn’t open the storage overview. So I force restarted it.
Now I am under the impression that there is like a faulty storage cell or something. But I have no idea. Next week on Wednesday I have an appointment at the local Apple Store. I am really annoyed, I cannot use the iPhone like that, I paid over 2000 euros for the iPhone.
What is done at the Apple Store if the device passes all the tests? Will they send me home?
Or do I have to leave the iPhone there? I cannot leave the device there. It is my only phone. :-(

Should I hard reset the iPhone before I go to the Apple Store? I don’t want my data to be leaked or seen and I remember reports about a Genius stealing private photos off the phone.

 

[DonHS]

I have just returned from the Apple Store because I got an earlier appointment today.
I described the freezing problem plus the problem that my touchscreen is sometimes unresponsive- especially after waking the device up. The Apple employee also saw that unresponsiveness and found it strange. He then ran some hardware diagnostics which all came back negative (ie no error found). So he said there’s nothing that can be done. When there are no errors found the technicians don’t know what to repair.
So I had to leave the Apple Store without a solution to my problem.

I am really disappointed. I used to prefer Apple products over other products because of the service. However this service obviously doesn’t exist anymore.

What can I do now? Just accept an obviously faulty device? Should I go to a different Apple Store? There’s a second one not too far away. But I think they will tell me the same…