Impending iOS update to help diagnose additional iPhone battery shutdowns

Posted:
in iPhone edited December 2016
An imminent iOS update will help collect information about sudden iPhone shutdowns, specifically problems aren't limited to the iPhone 6s units Apple is currently offering battery replacements for, according to an updated support document posted on Tuesday.




On the webpage, at the moment only in Chinese, Apple explains that some phones "outside the affected batch" are suffering from shutdowns as well, and that it will "will add an additional diagnostic feature to the iOS software update that is [to be] released next week."

That tool will gather data that could contribute to algorithms for managing battery performance and shutdowns, Apple said, noting that if it can make improvements, they'll be delivered in subsequent software releases.

The iOS update coming next week is presumably iOS 10.2, which is already in its sixth beta and likely close to completion. Its main features will actually be a dedicated "TV" app and single sign-on support for TV providers.

Free battery swaps are only available to people with an iPhone 6s built between September and October 2015, and even then owners must check their serial number to see if they qualify. Apple didn't identify which iPhones outside that range might be having problems.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 20
    As far as I can tell the 6 had dud batteries too. Seen a lot of replacements of those; mine was at 80.2% with 250 odd cycles after one year, and I ended up replacing it at the 16 month mark. 
    GeorgeBMac
  • Reply 2 of 20
    spice-boyspice-boy Posts: 1,450member
    As a long time user of Apple's products (first Mac 1994) I have had very few problems with Mac hardware and software. Sure the early (beta) days of Mac OS X included many spinning beach ball moments but we all understood this was a new frontier for the platform and most of us were happy to follow. 

    Things seem to have changed in the past couple of years and it may be hard to pinpoint exactly why things appear to be going south. I'm not talking about a new revoltuoinalry device unleashed every two years but about inconsistent hardware, software bloat and Apple looking like the old guy in the room. 

    IOS in particular has gotten over cluttered and Apple's mantra of simplicity and minimalism has given way to a baroque overlay of options which I doubt most people ever use yet these "improvements" get touted as breakthrough and that they have had an army of people working on this feature just to ease your daily use of you iOS gadget. Take a look into the Settings of iOS 10, just the General section seems endless with options. If you need to select a seldom used option such as (turn off find my iPhone) you will find it eventually but it will be buried pretty deep somewhere in that mess. 

    Maybe I am spoiled by how well Apple's product have worked for me and having to replace a defective battery on my iPhone 6s recently was bound to happen when a company produces a billion of them per year but it may be the iOS that has me most concerned. I don't know if anyone else feel the way I do about this or if my love of things simple and intuitive make me more critical. 
    edited December 2016 anantksundaram
  • Reply 3 of 20
    Many people are doing the battery replacement.  Last night I took my phone into the Apple Store -- at a reserved time, noted for Battery Replacement -- and they mentioned having no batteries in stock.  They estimate it'll take about 1 week to get a new stock of replacement batteries.  (I wish they could have told me that before I took the time to visit their store!)
    gatorguyanantksundaram
  • Reply 4 of 20
    I have a iPhone 6 and the battery has suddenly started jumping down in power status.  I keep the % on the screen and I've watched it jump from 33% to 1%.  I've also just had it die with plenty of charge (+30%), and when I plug it in and restart it, it still has plenty of charge (+30%).
    GeorgeBMacaenghustdknox
  • Reply 5 of 20
    bigdobigdo Posts: 19member
    I have an iPhone 6 that exhibits this same behavior. It was purchased in December 2014 and the problem started about 15 months after purchase. The problem got worse after It had a hard fall on a concrete sidewalk.
  • Reply 6 of 20
    Dave CummingsDave Cummings Posts: 43unconfirmed, member
    My wife's iPhone 6Plus is having issues with her's dropping battery power dramatically and shutting down at 30%.  The shutting down at 30% thing is a recent development,  troubling her phone the past couple of weeks....thankfully her trade in to upgrade window is here,  and she gets her iPhone 7Plus tomorrow.  My iPhone 6 hasn't had any issues yet,  but if it does,  I'm not stressing...my upgrade window arrives at the end of the month
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 7 of 20
    I think there is more to this than anyone has reported so far. My iPhone 6S has experienced, not shutdowns, but total resets (to the "Hello", "こんにちわ" etc. white screen. i.e. "factory reset") about 5 or 6 times in the past couple of months. The first time I took it to the Apple Store, and Genii told me that it was probably the result of my personal data being corrupted, so I wiped the phone and started again. The next time I called Apple Support, went through the same routine over the phone, and I was told it needed to be taken in for a hardware test. Took it to the Store, they didn't test anything, but told me again about my corrupt data. It happened again a couple of times, I reset the phone myself and lost a few hours of data each time.

    After that, reports emerged of iPhones in China having problems. The next time the "Hello" etc. screen happened, I checked Apple's website and found my iPhone's serial number was subject to the battery exchange program. So I took it to the Apple Store and the Genii told me again that it was probably the result of my corrupt data so even though my iPhone was subject to the battery exchange program, it probably wouldn't help. I went through various explanations trying to understand how corrupt personal data could not only shut down but also totally wipe a Unix device, but eventually agreed to accept this was possible and that it could be a corrupt data rather than a hardware issue, so I agreed with the Genius that I should wipe my phone to test it. After that, he consulted with his colleagues, scrolled frantically through his iPad, and suddenly suggested I should get an exchange iPhone. 

    I said I had already agreed that the problem was probably my corrupt data, so exchanging the phone would not help, but he insisted that exchanging the phone would address one of the three possible variables, the hardware issue, and besides, my phone was eligible whether it actually had problems or not. I pointed out that I had already been convinced that wiping the phone was likely to prove it was not a hardware issue, so there was no need for this, but he then became very insistent that I exchanged my phone. He assured me that the replacement was not subject to the battery exchange program.

    Eventually I agreed and walked away with a replacement. Remember that this was not (directly) the battery performance and shutdown issue that has been reported. I formed the impression that the Genius had originally been operating under "deny any problems" mode, but during the course of my visit had received or read instructions saying "get hold of this device". Presumably so that Apple could test it.
  • Reply 8 of 20
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,178member
    Tho the original may have been in Chinese there is an English version now.

    "Outside the affected batch, a small number of customers reported an unexpected shutdown. Some of these shutdowns may be normal, because the iPhone will shut down to protect its electronic components. To gather more information, we will add an additional diagnostic feature to the iOS software update that is released next week. 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."
    edited December 2016 GeorgeBMac
  • Reply 9 of 20
    GeorgeBMacGeorgeBMac Posts: 11,421member
    HeyImMike said:
    I have a iPhone 6 and the battery has suddenly started jumping down in power status.  I keep the % on the screen and I've watched it jump from 33% to 1%.  I've also just had it die with plenty of charge (+30%), and when I plug it in and restart it, it still has plenty of charge (+30%).
    Yep!  Me too.   Exact same thing.   It started happening as soon as the phone passed the 2 year mark and fell off of Apple Care support (of course) -- or could it be IOS10?

    In any case, I had the phone checked in September and it checked out fine on their diagnostics.   Yesterday they told me the sudden shut down was because the battery was
    "marginal" (meaning it didn't register as needing replaced but it was close) and suggested I buy a new battery.   When I asked why a new  battery would fix the problem of the phone shutting down with 30% charge she told me that:  "The % is not correct because the battery is weaker than a new one.  The percent is closer to zero than what the phone displays".

    Is she correct?   I have no way of knowing.   But, I have never seen this happen before on any other device.

    But, I am glad to hear that Apple is at least looking into the problem.   And it is a problem.   If the phone says it has 30% charge, it should not be shutting down.
  • Reply 10 of 20
    GeorgeBMacGeorgeBMac Posts: 11,421member
    My wife's iPhone 6Plus is having issues with her's dropping battery power dramatically and shutting down at 30%.  The shutting down at 30% thing is a recent development,  troubling her phone the past couple of weeks....thankfully her trade in to upgrade window is here,  and she gets her iPhone 7Plus tomorrow.  My iPhone 6 hasn't had any issues yet,  but if it does,  I'm not stressing...my upgrade window arrives at the end of the month
    Well, that's one way to fix a hardware/software glitch -- just buy a new one.

    I wonder how many will take that route -- and flood the market with defective used IPhones?
    Jacksamuel
  • Reply 11 of 20
    mac_128mac_128 Posts: 3,454member
    My SE has been randomly requiring me to enter my passcode, rather than allowing Touch ID to unlock, which is something that I have only experienced after a restart. Could my battery be shutting off the phone when I'm not using it? I guess this tool will determine if this is a factor any any battery? What else would account for the requirement to enter the passcode?
    snype719
  • Reply 12 of 20
    retrogustoretrogusto Posts: 1,110member
    I have a 6 bought on the first day, and I've been having shutdowns and the aforementioned passcode requirement issue ever since I "upgraded" to iOS 10. With the previous OS, I would typically end the day with more than 80% battery charge remaining, but now I'm lucky to get through the day without the battery dying mid-evening. And sometimes it will warn me that I've just hit the 20% mark and then it shuts down right after that. I used to be kind of puzzled and amused by the people who carry around chargers and have to plug in their phones wherever they go, and I never understood people who put larger batteries high on their wish list for future improvements, but since I installed iOS 10 I'm starting to imagine myself becoming one of them. If I could pay $20 to revert to the previous OS, I'd do it in a second. 
  • Reply 13 of 20
    mknelsonmknelson Posts: 1,120member
    HeyImMike said:
    I have a iPhone 6 and the battery has suddenly started jumping down in power status.  I keep the % on the screen and I've watched it jump from 33% to 1%.  I've also just had it die with plenty of charge (+30%), and when I plug it in and restart it, it still has plenty of charge (+30%).
    Yep!  Me too.   Exact same thing.   It started happening as soon as the phone passed the 2 year mark and fell off of Apple Care support (of course) -- or could it be IOS10?

    I have a friend whose iPhone has been randomly shutting down with charges as high as 70%. This has been happening since the spring, so well before iOS10 in this case.

    The phone passes diagnostics (except there is an error trying to get the unexpected shutdown report): the battery has lot of cycles but the capacity is still around 90%. We tried a DFU/Firmware restore with no improvement. Apple has recommended some settings changes as a last resort. We're hoping it gets replaced by Applecare soon.
  • Reply 14 of 20
    Many people are doing the battery replacement.  Last night I took my phone into the Apple Store -- at a reserved time, noted for Battery Replacement -- and they mentioned having no batteries in stock.  They estimate it'll take about 1 week to get a new stock of replacement batteries.  (I wish they could have told me that before I took the time to visit their store!)
    I had this problem (and I travelled last week for work), so I'm going in today with a reserved battery. 

    I wished the same, as it was 2nd trip to the apple store  (a week before the 'recall' I was there, and they told me to reinstall iOS... because, "...you know, digitally signed binaries go bad sometimes"  [no, I didn't know that, and it goes against all truths about Apple app/kernel security controls]. ), and it's a serious distance out of my way from work/home.

    I agree with previous poster...   I crave for iOS9 at this point no matter how cool iOS10 is.
  • Reply 15 of 20
    I bought a 6s and 6s plus at the same time within the window apple identified as problematic. The 6s and the 6s plus have developed the same battery problem. Apple have only recognised the 6s as having an issue however my 6s plus is demonstrating the same symptoms even after wiping the phone etc etc. I think this is a wider issue
  • Reply 16 of 20
    spice-boyspice-boy Posts: 1,450member
    sog35 said:
    This is good news for Apple.

    This means its time for more people to upgrade.

    Stop being cheap skates and get some new iPhones

    Sent from my iPhone 6 Plus

    Paid about $800 for my iPhone just over a year ago, why don't you buy me a new one?
  • Reply 17 of 20
    GeorgeBMacGeorgeBMac Posts: 11,421member
    I have a 6 bought on the first day, and I've been having shutdowns and the aforementioned passcode requirement issue ever since I "upgraded" to iOS 10. With the previous OS, I would typically end the day with more than 80% battery charge remaining, but now I'm lucky to get through the day without the battery dying mid-evening. And sometimes it will warn me that I've just hit the 20% mark and then it shuts down right after that. I used to be kind of puzzled and amused by the people who carry around chargers and have to plug in their phones wherever they go, and I never understood people who put larger batteries high on their wish list for future improvements, but since I installed iOS 10 I'm starting to imagine myself becoming one of them. If I could pay $20 to revert to the previous OS, I'd do it in a second. 
    Me too.     and    Me too

    As I mentioned in a previous post.  On a trip to the Apple Store they told me the battery was almost into the replace zone and, because of that, the % charge it showed was not accurate.  They recommended I replace the battery even though it is not in the replace category (yet). 

    Personally, I am not sure that I buy that story.  But, I suspect a new battery might alleviate the problem only because the phone will keep a higher charge longer and be less likely to get down into the 20 - 30% range where it typically happens (especially when I start a video).

    I plan to hold off because, all I have to do is stick it on the charger till it reboots and then I'm back to 20-30% charge and the phone works fine.
  • Reply 18 of 20
    I also experience random shut downs, plus I suffer from touch disease!

    Funny how all these bugs Apple is experiencing in it's OS have materialised since Swift came on the scene... Many Apps are a Frankenstein of Swift & Objective C as Apple transition over, and frankly it's not too pretty. 
    Swift still isn't ready for prime time IMO, and bridging with Objective C classes is a messy revolting experience.
    To be completely honest I'm not a big fan of Swift. There's a few features I like, but it forces you to write code in a way that fixes problems I never experienced in the first place. Rapid prototyping is not so rapid, everything takes 3 times longer to code.
    Plus there's too many ways to skin a cat. It's a language the consensus of developers love, but consensuses almost always lack vision.  A consensus in this instance is creating the swiss army knife of languages with a thousand ways to solve a problem when one would suffice.
    Lets be honest, the main reason many (mostly non iOS) developers sing praise for Swift is that they simply couldn't get their brains round square brackets.
    I know, it's got some good features, but just as many bad ones IMO.
    edited December 2016
  • Reply 19 of 20
    rcfarcfa Posts: 1,124member
    My 5s is still going strong, but both the 6plus and now lately also 6s plus are randomly shutting down with anywhere between 60-25% reported charge remaining. 6s plus isn't in the serial number range covered by Apple.
    I think there's just an issue with making batteries that thin, dendrites growing, causing temporary shorts, or something like that.
    Still have an iPhone 4 that runs without a hitch, but the 6 series is much thinner, and all of mine have trouble.
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