iPhone 16 (Model 17,3) – False Overheating Notifications

Thank you so much, I will definitely make an appointment at my Apple Store Genius Bar, though I suspect a software issue. I am saying so because false thermal alerts reappeared in July 2025, from iOS 18.5 onwards till 18.7 included, on iPhone 16 (Model 17,3), after being resolved by an iOS update in Jan 2025. This suggests a software regression. Advisory levels often show Battery → 3, User → 3, ThermalPressure → 0, Combined → 3, even when the device is cool. 

Here's why the pattern that I am experiencing points to software, in my view:

The same happened in late December 2024 - early January 2025 but then it was fixed by an iOS update and the thermal warnings did not reappear until July 2025.

1. Resolved by an iOS update: If the issue disappeared after a system update, it means the fix was likely in the thermal management logic, sensor calibration routines, or alert thresholds—all of which are software-controlled.
2. Reappeared after months: Hardware faults don’t typically “go away” and then return. The fact that the alerts were gone for several months implies that the hardware was functioning correctly during that time.
3. Version-specific behavior: The recurrence in iOS 18.5 and later suggests a regression—a previously fixed bug may have been reintroduced or a new change may have affected thermal monitoring.
4. No faults in diagnostics: Apple’s remote diagnostics didn’t detect any hardware issues, which further supports the idea that the problem lies in software interpretation of sensor data, not the sensor itself.

Got a remote test from Apple support and nothing wrong was detected. Shall I go anyway at my Apple Store Genius Bar?