iPhone 13 Pro Overheating on Left Side, by Volume Buttons

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I just got a new car (2JULY2022), that has wireless CarPlay through Bluetooth and a wireless charging pad. However, I noticed that my iPhone 13 Pro overheats on the back, aggressively, when I use the pad, CarPlay and any of the apps in CarPlay (podcasts, Waze, etc). This seems to be a VERY known issue, and I ended up just getting a MagSafe dash mount and USB-C/Lightning Cable to use, before my phone ever reached the alert or power off for overheating. I’ve used wired CarPlay for years, and never had any semblance of overheating as such on iPhone 11, 12 and 13 when wired.


That said, since then, in general, NOT ONLY WHEN IN THE CAR, my iPhone 13 Pro now daily overheats on the left side of my iPhone. Like, the silver band, not the white glass, with the heat centering between the Volume Down button and the (empty as it’s e-SIM) SIM tray.


I initially thought this may have just been my phone in the sun for a few minutes while out and about; but I notice it when it’s just been in my pocket, or sitting on my couch at night.


I’m not sure if the CarPlay/Wireless Charging pad triggered something, or if this replacement phone (replaced 31MAY2022) is just faulty and not as “New” as Apple promises for warranty swap outs (my original iPhone had a faulty front depth camera that stopped working and allowing faceID amongst other issues). My original iPhone never overheated, or at least I never noticed it doing so.


Is anyone else having this issue? What can or should I do about it?

iPhone 13 Pro

Posted on Jul 16, 2022 8:38 AM

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5 replies

Jul 17, 2022 4:18 PM in response to ACuculich

ACuculich wrote:

If it’s a noticeable raise in temperature, and is uncomfortable to touch:

It’s overheating.


It may be outside of the parameters you consider normal, but overheating is a precise technical term.


Never before have you had a processor this powerful in a form factor this size, no matter how many iPhone models you've owned.


Much depends on what you are doing and what background apps are running.


You need not worry about damaging your phone; long before it gets hot enough to do so it will shut itself down with the warning I posted.


However, if you feel it is operating incorrectly, make an appointment to have it checked; that's the only way to be completely sure.


Given you feel it is doing something it shouldn't, you should take it in:


Genius Bar Reservation and Apple Support Options - Apple


Jul 18, 2022 1:13 AM in response to ACuculich

It's in fact normal for your iPhone to be warm to the touch in any number of circumstances.


It doesn't matter what apps you run or what you ran them on, the iPhone 13 has a more powerful processor, which can generate more heat, and an OLED display, which can also generate heat.


Certainly uploading a video using cellular radio is one of the things that can generate heat, especially if you are on a 5G network, as 5G radios use a lot of battery power and generate a fair amount of heat themselves.


Here's a generic article on the subject from 2019:


ArsTechnica: The latest barrier to 5G speeds? The summer


If you think it's getting too hot, have it checked:


Genius Bar Reservation and Apple Support Options - Apple




Jul 17, 2022 3:52 AM in response to Dogcow-Moof

If it’s a noticeable raise in temperature, and is uncomfortable to touch:


It’s overheating.


Because I’m also well aware that should your phone have to put you in time out for it’s excessive raise in operating temperature, that it permanently damages the phone; that I make sure to end my phone call, stop replying to texts, close my web browser, etc., and give my phone a break to cool down.


I have had every generation iPhone. I have had an iPhone 13 pro since it’s release/shipping day. Granted, again, my phone in hand is currently a warranty replacement unit, given to me on 31May2022. That said, again, this is the first time I’ve ever noticed this overheating issue, ever, on the metallic band surrounding the phone. I am well aware and familiar with the back of the phone overheating and being hot to touch while it’s processing various programs. This is a first for it being the side of the phone. And it happens multiple times daily. Never on any other generations, or even my original 13Pro, did the very hot to touch location be the side; between SIM tray and volume buttons. Never have I experienced the overheating being in that spot. As stated originally, I thought it was just an “in the sun” happenstance the first time I’d noticed it last week. But for the overheating to happen when no sun is available, caused concern and I realized it was an actual issue.


So, again, I’ll state, has anyone else noticed or experienced this overheating in that location? What was the cause of you did look into it?





Jul 17, 2022 5:37 PM in response to Dogcow-Moof

Overheating: verb- to stimulate or agitate unduly

or

verb- to become heated beyond a safe or desirable point


after an hour of looking up “technical definition of phone overheating” every description, article, report, support and discussion stated overheating as “hot to the touch.”


so, yes, I am absolutely and undeniably correct in my usage of OVERHEATING when describing the abnormal hot-to-touch side band on my replacement iPhone 13 Pro.


I guess I cannot clarify any greater:

-background app refresh turned off

-occurs under any variety of normal usage; same as I’ve done for the past 15 years with my iPhones.

-can be when being as little used as just the AppleTV Remote and sitting idle on my couch at night; to uploading a 10min video using cellular data.

-while I have experienced overheating where the hot-zone is the back of the phone, the oddity and hence my question here, is because the heat is located between sim tray and volume down button.


I asked here, hoping to see if anyone else had experienced this odd overheating issue. I asked here to see if and what may be the cause, before I have to deal with the Genius Bar. I asked here, hoping to get helpful insight and not just incessant argumentative opinions designed only to fight about semantics of my worded question.


so, if anyone has experienced this or actually has any helpful insight, and not just a incontrollable need to bang in their keyboard, I’m open to what you have to say.

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iPhone 13 Pro Overheating on Left Side, by Volume Buttons

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