Apple releases fix for issue causing the iPhone 15 to run 'warmer than expected'

Apple has released an iOS 17 system update that includes a fix to prevent the iPhone 15 lineup from becoming uncomfortably hot.

According to the release's accompanying patch notes, iOS 17.0.3 “addresses an issue that may cause iPhone to run warmer than expected.”

The Cupertino, California, company blamed a software bug and other issues tied to popular apps such as Instagram and Uber for causing its recently released iPhone 15 models to heat up and spark complaints about becoming too hot to handle.

“We have identified a few conditions which can cause iPhone to run warmer than expected," Apple in a short statement provided to The Associated Press last week after media reports detailed overheating complaints that are peppering online message boards.

It’s not unusual for new iPhones to get uncomfortably warm during the first few days of use or when they are being restored with backup information stored in the cloud — issues that Apple already flags for users. The devices also can get hot when using apps such as video games and augmented reality technology that require a lot of processing power, but the heating issues with the iPhone 15 models have gone beyond those typical situations.

In its acknowledgement, Apple stressed that the trouble isn't related to its new processor or titanium casing that houses the high-end iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max.

Apple also dismissed speculation that the overheating problem in the new models might be tied to a shift from its proprietary Lightning charging cable to the more widely used USB-C port that allowed it to comply with a mandate issued by European regulators.