Complaints about heat issues with Apple’s new iPhone 15 Pro devices are likely caused by “compromises made in the thermal system design” and are not related to TSMC’s 3-nanometer node that was used for the A17 Pro chip, says Apple industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
Kuo says that the iPhone 15 Pro’s reduced heat dissipation area and titanium frame have negatively impacted the thermal efficiency of the devices.
My survey indicates that the iPhone 15 Pro series overheating issues are unrelated to TSMC’s advanced 3nm node. The primary cause is more likely the compromises made in the thermal system design to achieve a lighter weight, such as the reduced heat dissipation area and the use of a titanium frame, which negatively impacts thermal efficiency. It’s expected that Apple will address this through software updates, but improvements may be limited unless Apple lowers processor performance. If Apple does not properly address this issue, it could negatively impact shipments over the product life cycle of the iPhone 15 Pro series.
Apple is expected to resolve the thermal issues through software iOS updates, but improvements may be limited unless Apple lowers processor performance. Kuo says that if Apple is unable to “properly address this issue,” shipments could be impacted over the life cycle of the iPhone 15 Pro.
Some users have reported that their iPhone 15 Pro models become hot to the touch. Some tests have indicated that Apple is throttling the processor when this occurs, in an effort to cool the iPhone down.