Apple's iPhone 6s Battery Problem Looks Bigger and Worse Than Before
Last month, Apple announced a replacement program for iPhone 6s units that were prone to powering down prematurely, promising to supply a free battery to customers whose phones were plagued by the issue.
The tech giant originally claimed the iPhone 6s battery issue was limited to a very small number of phones manufactured between September and October 2015, but announced today that problem might extend to devices produced outside that particular batch. According to a press release, the Cupertino-based company explains that the battery-glitch might exist on a slightly bigger scale than originally thought, and elucidates exactly what caused the problem, noting that prolonged exposure to air during the manufacturing process likely caused the battery malfunction.
The statement was translated from its original Chinese by The Next Web:
“We found that a small number of iPhone 6s devices made in September and October 2015 contained a battery component that was exposed to controlled ambient air longer than it should have been before being assembled into battery packs. As a result, these batteries degrade faster than a normal battery and cause unexpected shutdowns to occur. It’s important to note, this is not a safety issue.”
The release continues, saying that “outside the affected batch, a small number of customers reported an unexpected shutdown." Fortunately, the issue isn’t a safety concern, and will likely be sussed out through a new diagnostic feature to be rolled out during next week’s iOS update.
“This feature collects a variety of information in the coming weeks that may help us improve algorithms for managing battery performance and shutdown operations. If such improvements can be achieved, we will deliver them through further software updates,” Apple notes.
The iPhone 6s battery debacle is the second major challenge Apple has faced this month, after the company acknowledged its “touch disease” problem, charging customers a $149 fee to participate in a different replacement program. Still, there are no safety issues to be worried about for iPhone 6s users, unless, of course, you're using a shoddy, counterfeit charger.
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Sam Blum is a News Staff Writer for Thrillist. He's also a martial arts and music nerd who appreciates a fine sandwich and cute dogs. Find his clips in The Guardian, Rolling Stone, The A.V. Club and Vice. He's on Twitter @Blumnessmonster.