The top of my 12 max gets stupidly hot when on phone calls almost unbearable
Phone is getting too hot during calls
iPhone 12 Pro Max
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Phone calls, especially on a 5G network, require a lot of energy. And the weaker the signal the more energy is required; a 1 bar connection requires 10 times as much energy as a 5 bar, for example. And the radio is about 30% efficient, so 70% of the energy used when on a call is heat. That’s why your phone gets hot when on a call. And all cell phones have done this since the beginning of time. In 1988 I had a phone that almost burned my ear on a call longer than 5 minutes.
The best solution if the heat bothers you is to use a Bluetooth ear bud or buds.