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iPhone 6 battery dies in cold weather

Battery dies on my iPhone 6 in cold weather. Phone is about 15 months old, and dies from good battery 50% to 30% down to nothing and auto switch off. ON normal weather the battery is still very good and doesn't show sign of weakening on any normal day. But if it is cold outside, phone will dye in minutes if used outdoors. I first noticed when we went skiing around -5C (20-25F) and it was really bad there. But now it started doing it when it's around +5C (41F) shutting the phone down from 30% battery. When I plug it in, it immediately turns the phone back on and shows 25 or 35% remaining....

Anyone? Design issue? Specific app to kill? Running iOS 9.3, but it was already doing it on iOS 9.2 .... Thanks

Posted on Feb 13, 2016 7:49 AM

Reply
340 replies

Dec 31, 2016 7:26 PM in response to Alx2011

My iPhone 6 running iOS 10.0.2 is useless outside below 45F at this point even when kept in a pant pocket. It was not like this last year and even when the battery got tired on my previous 4S it didn't act like this. Apple needs to take this seriously but it sounds like 10.1 and 10.2 make battery issues even worse.

Jan 4, 2017 2:16 AM in response to fredrikdk

Yes, I do this daily 🙂

I work with mobile phones and I do measurements before and after battery replacement.

Here is an iPhone6 that I replaced the battery on yesterday:

Graph 1 show the behavour BEFORE battery replacement.

Graph 2 show the behavour AFTER battery replacement.

(since the battery died during test 1 the graph looks a bit strange, and its in swedish but I think it will be no problem to understand anyway. Number of charge cycle counts: 179)


1

User uploaded file

2

User uploaded file

Jan 4, 2017 2:17 AM in response to Visualo

so, apparently there is a recall action from Apple for iPhone 6 (https://www.apple.com/support/iphone6s-unexpectedshutdown/) however it seems to be extremely selective, since my phone seems not to be accepted as faulty. I just believe, that shareholder value is more important than admitting that the batteries in iPhones are faulty. Would be interesting how they would react, if the batteries start to burn in our pockets, if they still would deny the facts when people are getting injured.

Jan 16, 2017 11:25 AM in response to Alx2011

Is it possible this issue


https://www.apple.com/support/iphone6s-unexpectedshutdown/


is more widespread than they thought? Or they effectively drew a line in the sand where they would and would not fix defective batteries?


Sorry for the speculation, as we'll probably never know. But it seems coincidental we have issues with batteries and they have a (more limited) program to address a battery issue.

Jan 16, 2017 11:43 AM in response to krischl

I didn't search further, but should have. I didn't think the cause had been released but apparently it had on Apple's Chinese site.


'We found that a small number of iPhone 6s devices made in September and October 2015 contained a battery component that was exposed to controlled ambient air longer than it should have been before being assembled into battery packs,' reads a statement on Apple's Chinese website.

'As a result, these batteries degrade faster than a normal battery and cause unexpected shutdowns to occur. '

Interesting:

http://www.express.co.uk/life-style/science-technology/740732/iPhone-6S-Battery- Life-Apple-Problem

Jan 18, 2017 8:52 AM in response to Csound1

Jan 18, 2017 6:50 AM Re: iPhone 6 battery dies in cold weatherin response to marktso

marktso wrote:


I think it's excellent that Apple publishes the operating temperature. This says that if I put my phone in the refrigerator for a while (above freezing, temperature controlled, easily measured), it has to continue to work. I will do this as soon as I can. Might be interesting if we got a larger sample size to do the same.

Putting it in such a wet environment is also not good for it.


Good point. I have no desire to sacrifice my $600 phone for the sake of an experiment so I will use a plastic baggie.


According to their specs, it should be fine.


Environmental Requirements

Relative humidity: 5% to 95% noncondensing

Jan 18, 2017 1:00 PM in response to Trueimage1

I think the problem is more nuanced than that - it seems to get worse with age and at about 15 months goes very quickly from showing a charge to dying When exposed to temperatures that should be within its operating range. Don't other phones have lithium batteries? It seems to be specific to the iPhone 6 and 6S. Thanks CSound1 - posting again https://www.apple.com/support/iphone6s-unexpectedshutdown/

Jan 29, 2017 12:59 PM in response to Alx2011

I came across your post when trying to find out what to do about mine, experiencing the same issue with anywhere from 30-60% battery left...

I have a 6, but if yours is a 6s, you may qualify for a battery replacement like my friend did - check with your serial number here: https://www.apple.com/support/iphone6s-unexpectedshutdown/ (Sorry if someone else already shared this)

Jan 6, 2017 7:15 PM in response to Csound1

Regarding your response to FreyaSun, it may be a language thing.

  • "it seems" = it appears to be, but I may be wrong
  • "everyone I know [...] if their phone is in the second winter" = all the people I personally know, who've had the same phone concerned for two winters. In other words, this is limited to people in the person's immediate circle who have an iPhone 6 for about 14 months or so.
  • there is a difference between:
    - everyone I know is ...
    - it seems everyone I know is ...
    - it seems everyone I know is ... if .... [such and such condition is true]...
    - everyone in the world is absolutely (which seems to be what you're reading, but not what FreyaSun said)
  • there is also a difference between
    - "everyone I know is not ..." = nobody I know is ...
    - "not everyone I know ..." = not everyone, but some people I know ... (and since you "know of" people here in this community, I believe this is what you mean to say)
  • when FreyaSun says "everyone I know is ... if ...." it does not necessarily overlap (and probably doesn't) into your circle and imply that the people you know in your corner of the world must be experiencing the same things.

Hope that helps, because the problem with the iPhone battery is real and we are here to support each other -- not disregard other people's personal experiences.

Apr 27, 2017 6:45 AM in response to Fraserestates

Since you do not indicate the temperature, just "any way cold", here are the environmental specifications for the phone.


Environmental Requirements

  • Operating ambient temperature: 32° to 95° F (0° to 35° C)
  • Nonoperating temperature: ‑4° to 113° F (‑20° to 45° C)
  • Relative humidity: 5% to 95% noncondensing
  • Operating altitude: tested up to 10,000 feet (3000 m)

Jan 1, 2017 5:55 AM in response to Alx2011

I am experiencing the same issue with the iPhone 6 battery under cold temps. It is frustrating that this issue is acknowledged for iPhone 6s but Apple does not seem to acknowledge the existence of this issue for iPhone 6. I find this quite frustrating. I had an iPhone 5 earlier and that phone had the exact same problem. And I am in that exact same predicament with my iPhone 6. While I love Apple products, I find that my loyalty is being stretched thin!!!

Jan 2, 2017 6:15 AM in response to Alx2011

This is most likely the last iPhone I bought (I was loyal since 2007). I live in Switzerland and winter temperature in winter are around 0°C and my iPhone 6s dies after a few minutes. My sons have androids phones and they enjoy a full day in cold weather. So instead of design I need a working phone. Apple has decided to run on the wrong horse and include too many gadgets instead of making a strong and reliable product.

iPhone 6 battery dies in cold weather

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