Update October 20 with iPhone 16 shutdown issues.
Apple is facing frustration from new iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro owners as their battery life is significantly less than the Apple community has expected following the launch and initial reviews.
Previewed at WWDC in June, iOS 18 debuted alongside the new iPhone 16 family of handsets.
There’s no option for iPhone 16 owners to downgrade to an older version.
Update: Sunday October 20: Not only do iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max owners have to consider the impact of the battery drain bug, but reports are coming in that the latest iOS smartphones are facing random moments where the handsets freeze up, with some reporting random reboots of their new iPhone.
Update on October 20th for iPhone 16 shutdown problems.
Owners of the recently released iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro are upset with Apple because their devices’ battery life is much lower than what the company had anticipated after launch and early reviews.
The problem appears when the smartphone enters standby mode. Instead of using the battery as little as possible, iPhones are using more power and affecting standby time. Those who don’t leave their phones charged overnight will notice it the most.
Similar to other smartphones, the iPhone is predicated on being on at all times and has an internet connection that enables background apps like “Find My iPhone.”. Additionally, there are methods to prolong battery life. Restricting background services and utilizing low-power mode lowers the demands that any app can make, but lowering the screen brightness won’t help. But it’s a band-aid solution, not a solution.
The most recent version of iOS appears to be the culprit. iOS 18, which was previewed at WWDC in June, made its debut alongside the new iPhone 16 line of smartphones. Owners of an iPhone 16 cannot downgrade to an earlier model. Similar problems are encountered by users of older iPhones who have updated to iOS 18, indicating that the problem is software-related.
Given that, Apple ought to release a fix soon. In the past, the company has released small iOS updates to fix problems, such as excessive battery drain on earlier models. An official announcement regarding the update’s timeline has not yet been made.
Many iPhone users will need to carefully manage their battery in order to get through the day until then.
Update: Sunday, October 20: In addition to the implications of the battery drain bug, owners of the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max are also receiving reports of the newest iOS smartphones freezing occasionally and rebooting without warning.
During the night, while restoring data from an iCloud backup, and when connecting to CarPlay, users have reported that their phones have rebooted, leaving the home screen as the only indication that something went wrong. There were other reasons for the crash as well, leaving the community confused about what caused it and whether there are any potential solutions or safety measures users can take.
Compared to the support forums, Apple will have a far more complete picture of the problem and will undoubtedly be attempting to address the root causes and issues. Since this is most likely a software problem, a future iOS update should resolve the issue.