iPhone 14 Pro iPhone screen throttling vs cheap Android?

[ericg301]

I live in the Texas hellscape, especially this time of year (for multiple reasons). Ever since the iPhone 5 or so, I've used my phones as my in-car GPS in a windshield or CD slot caddy. And as long as I've been doing that, I've had to suffer through the phone overheating to where the OS dims the screen brightness to almost nothing. This time of year that'll happen within 15 minutes of hitting the road. It doesn't matter if I use Waze (my preferred mapping app), Apple Maps, or Google Maps.

I had hoped that the "improved thermals" of the 14 iPhone Pro would end that behavior, but nope. So on my most recent cross-state road trip, I decided to experiment: instead of using my $1000+ iPhone 14 Pro, I used my backup phone, a "cheap" Android I got free from T-Mobile a few years ago (Samsung A32).

And guess what, over 350 miles, it didn't dim once, even at max brightness.

So why did Samsung figure this out in a lower-level phone but Apple can't? And yes Samsung uses LCD vs OLED of iPhone, but I've dealt with this dimming issue going back to iPhone's LCD days too.

And no, a vent-mount caddy isn't an option. See above about Texas hellscape. I need every bit of AC that I can get.

Having said all that, I actually don't mind using the Samsung as my road trip GPS moving forward. It should save some wear and tear on my iPhone and reduce screen burn-in. Not to mention no distractions from errant notifications.

Thanks, I'll hang up and listen.

 

[eyoungren]

I live in the Texas hellscape, especially this time of year (for multiple reasons). Ever since the iPhone 5 or so, I've used my phones as my in-car GPS in a windshield or CD slot caddy. And as long as I've been doing that, I've had to suffer through the phone overheating to where the OS dims the screen brightness to almost nothing. This time of year that'll happen within 15 minutes of hitting the road. It doesn't matter if I use Waze (my preferred mapping app), Apple Maps, or Google Maps.

I had hoped that the "improved thermals" of the 14 iPhone Pro would end that behavior, but nope. So on my most recent cross-state road trip, I decided to experiment: instead of using my $1000+ iPhone 14 Pro, I used my backup phone, a "cheap" Android I got free from T-Mobile a few years ago (Samsung A32).

And guess what, over 350 miles, it didn't dim once, even at max brightness.

So why did Samsung figure this out in a lower-level phone but Apple can't? And yes Samsung uses LCD vs OLED of iPhone, but I've dealt with this dimming issue going back to iPhone's LCD days too.

And no, a vent-mount caddy isn't an option. See above about Texas hellscape. I need every bit of AC that I can get.

Having said all that, I actually don't mind using the Samsung as my road trip GPS moving forward. It should save some wear and tear on my iPhone and reduce screen burn-in. Not to mention no distractions from errant notifications.

Thanks, I'll hang up and listen.

Not really sure.

I can relate my own experience though…

For about two years before Covid I made the journey from home to work. I live in Phoenix and work is in Mesa. That's a 25 minute drive down the freeway when there is no traffic. When there is traffic, that's a 45 minute to an hour trip. I left work at 1:45pm each day to be on time back in Phoenix to pick my daughter up from school by 2:30pm. That's the beginning of the rush hour, so 45 minute to an hour drive.

No biggie, except that the car I was driving is an old Honda with power windows that do not work anymore and NO A/C! The A/C broke before 2019. This car has been stolen before so the windows are left up.

So, this 45 minute to an hour trip is made in June and August in Phoenix heat with no ability to roll windows down. I have two phones in this car with me each day. A Google Pixel 3a XL and an iPhone 6s+.

Only the 6s+ remained powered on each and every time. The Pixel routinely shut down due to overheat.

Now both phones are NOT in direct heat so that should tell you how hot it got in the car between Mesa and Phoenix.

Yeah, that car/trip just about killed me at one point. Thankfully I work from home now (since Covid).

 

[BugeyeSTI]

I live in the Texas hellscape, especially this time of year (for multiple reasons). Ever since the iPhone 5 or so, I've used my phones as my in-car GPS in a windshield or CD slot caddy. And as long as I've been doing that, I've had to suffer through the phone overheating to where the OS dims the screen brightness to almost nothing. This time of year that'll happen within 15 minutes of hitting the road. It doesn't matter if I use Waze (my preferred mapping app), Apple Maps, or Google Maps.

I had hoped that the "improved thermals" of the 14 iPhone Pro would end that behavior, but nope. So on my most recent cross-state road trip, I decided to experiment: instead of using my $1000+ iPhone 14 Pro, I used my backup phone, a "cheap" Android I got free from T-Mobile a few years ago (Samsung A32).

And guess what, over 350 miles, it didn't dim once, even at max brightness.

So why did Samsung figure this out in a lower-level phone but Apple can't? And yes Samsung uses LCD vs OLED of iPhone, but I've dealt with this dimming issue going back to iPhone's LCD days too.

And no, a vent-mount caddy isn't an option. See above about Texas hellscape. I need every bit of AC that I can get.

Having said all that, I actually don't mind using the Samsung as my road trip GPS moving forward. It should save some wear and tear on my iPhone and reduce screen burn-in. Not to mention no distractions from errant notifications.

Thanks, I'll hang up and listen.

When driving from Arizona to Chicago my girlfriends S22 Ultra dimmed the display and displayed a warning that the phone was too hot and needed to cool of. It stayed that way until she took it off the windshield mount and held it in front of the A/C vent for 10-15 minutes. Apparently flagship devices of most manufacturers have this issue

 

[BenGoren]

Per Apple’s official specifications, using the 13 as a reasonably typical example, the “Operating ambient temperature” is 32° to 95° F (0° to 35° C) and the “Nonoperating temperature” is −4° to 113° F (−20° to 45° C).

As I type, right now, here in Tempe, Arizona, the ambient temperature in the shade is 106°.

(We’re experiencing a brief respite … it’s not supposed to top 110° today or tomorrow, but it’ll be back in the mid-teens by the end of the week. And the overnight low will make it all the way down to 85°! Then back up to 90° … )

So, technically, as far as Apple is concerned, you shouldn’t be using your iPhone outside in Phoenix this time of year (save for a couple hours around sunrise), and it isn’t even supposed to be left powered off outside in the shade.

Re-read those last three words: “in the shade.” Even a very little bit of direct sunlight will rapidly heat anything and everything to well above ambient temperatures.

So … clearly, Apple is taking its published temperature guidelines seriously. They probably have intentionally published temperatures lower than the devices are good for and also lower than the trigger points for the software to start crying for help; their lawyers would have insisted on some wiggle room.

I don’t know what limits the A32 has … but I’ll bet you a cup of coffee that the device is operating at far, far, far beyond its published limits and Samsung simply hasn’t implemented any sort of real thermal management. At a guess, the battery has taken an irreparable beating as a result; who knows what other damage it’s suffered?

Incidentally … when I see such a warning, I’ll put my phone on my bare thigh (out of the sun, of course). Your body will act as the best heatsink available in such a situation.

And this also hasn’t been a problem since we got a Chevy Bolt … not only is the A/C fantastic, but it has CarPlay, so the phone is plugged in in the console, well away from the sun. Even if I got a rental, I wouldn’t put the phone on the dash any more … between spoken directions and the map on my watch, there wouldn’t be enough gained by worrying about the phone overheating.

b&

 

[ebika]

The Apple docs say the thermal behavior is to limit shortening the lifespan of the battery. It seems plausible that they’re just drawing the line between people fussing about battery longevity and operating temps differently than Samsung.

On a side note, roasting in the southwest sun is the primary factor for why I got ceramic window tint on my windscreen. At 70%, it’s pretty close to fully transparent, but it makes a huge difference in heat rejection and cabin temperature.

 

[ericg301]

Per Apple’s official specifications, using the 13 as a reasonably typical example, the “Operating ambient temperature” is 32° to 95° F (0° to 35° C) and the “Nonoperating temperature” is −4° to 113° F (−20° to 45° C).

As I type, right now, here in Tempe, Arizona, the ambient temperature in the shade is 106°.

(We’re experiencing a brief respite … it’s not supposed to top 110° today or tomorrow, but it’ll be back in the mid-teens by the end of the week. And the overnight low will make it all the way down to 85°! Then back up to 90° … )

So, technically, as far as Apple is concerned, you shouldn’t be using your iPhone outside in Phoenix this time of year (save for a couple hours around sunrise), and it isn’t even supposed to be left powered off outside in the shade.

Re-read those last three words: “in the shade.” Even a very little bit of direct sunlight will rapidly heat anything and everything to well above ambient temperatures.

So … clearly, Apple is taking its published temperature guidelines seriously. They probably have intentionally published temperatures lower than the devices are good for and also lower than the trigger points for the software to start crying for help; their lawyers would have insisted on some wiggle room.

I don’t know what limits the A32 has … but I’ll bet you a cup of coffee that the device is operating at far, far, far beyond its published limits and Samsung simply hasn’t implemented any sort of real thermal management. At a guess, the battery has taken an irreparable beating as a result; who knows what other damage it’s suffered?

Incidentally … when I see such a warning, I’ll put my phone on my bare thigh (out of the sun, of course). Your body will act as the best heatsink available in such a situation.

And this also hasn’t been a problem since we got a Chevy Bolt … not only is the A/C fantastic, but it has CarPlay, so the phone is plugged in in the console, well away from the sun. Even if I got a rental, I wouldn’t put the phone on the dash any more … between spoken directions and the map on my watch, there wouldn’t be enough gained by worrying about the phone overheating.

b&

Yeah we dont have carplay in our Honda Odyssey. Got it a year too soon.

But good points on everything else.