I’ve said it before: what Apple AAPL +0.3%’s iPhone XS (details) and iPhone XS Max (details) get right, they get very right indeed. But it’s now clear their biggest weakness is not just about saving money (and making the iPhone XR look good), it’s connected a fundamental flaw that may require a recall…
In short: many of Apple’s new iPhones refuse to charge. The news comes following a flurry of customer complaints across Apple Support Communities, Reddit, MacRumors forums, Twitter and YouTube. And YouTube’s most popular tech channel has now shown off how widespread this is.
Apple’s iPhone XS (middle) and iPhone XS Max (left) have new battery problemsAPPLE
Speaking to me ahead of publishing, Lewis Hilsenteger – aka Unbox Therapy – told me of “hundreds” of posts detailing a phenomenon whereby the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max won’t charge if they are plugged into a wall charger when in standby. Moreover, some of the phones become frozen and have to be reset.
Curious about how widespread this is, Hilsenteger attained eight iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max models and connected them to the standard charger Apple bundles in the box. Of the eight only two (one iPhone XS, one iPhone XS Max) worked correctly and charged from standby.
Five of the other six (two iPhone XS, three iPhone XS Max) refused to charge until their screens were woken up, while one iPhone XS Max refused to charge under any circumstances and froze for several minutes when the charger was inserted.
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As Hilsenteger notes, Apple sells millions of iPhones, so it is impossible to fully comprehend the scale of this problem but based on his tests and the hundreds of comments across support forums and social media, it’s significant. Especially as some users note replacement devices exhibit the same problem.
As for solutions, they’re not great.
Some users have found flipping the Lightning cable over can help (which suggests a hardware flaw in the Lightning port). While the best alternative right now is to use a wireless charger. This isn’t ideal, however, because prolonged wireless charging degrades battery health and Apple is charging higher prices for iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max replacement batteries.
Consequently, the pressure is now on Apple to respond to this issue and confirm whether the problem can be fixed with software or if there will be a wider product recall. Ominously, one poster on Apple Support Communities reports Apple’s tech support is “aware of” the issue and recommended having the phone replaced, which again suggests this is hardware.
In an attempt to clear this up, I have asked Apple for an official statement and will update this post when I know more.
Ultimately, given its superior battery life and mouthwatering price tag, these latest iPhone XS revelations make it even more of a no-brainer to wait for the colourful iPhone XR…
