If there's one thing consumers have learned from the Galaxy Note 7 battery debacle, it's that not even tech giants such as Samsung are immune to smartphone hardware slipups. And now another big name is facing the same problems with its own flagship phone.
Apple admitted to Chinese authorities on Tuesday that its iPhone products have been experiencing power issues, causing the smartphones to shut down even though they have yet to use up all of their battery charge.
The announcement was made in response to a notice served by government watchdog China Consumers Association (CCA), who accused Apple of not being able to "meet basic consumer needs for normal wireless communication" and demanded the problem be fixed immediately.
Many observers believe the Chinese consumer group's unrelenting resolve to have the issue addressed is indicative of Beijing's new image as one of the harshest critics of the iPhone maker.
iPhone 6s Battery Issues
Consumers in different parts of the world have complained about power issues with their iPhones in recent weeks. Many have said their smartphones keep shutting down abruptly even though they still have at least 30 percent of their battery charge left.
Some iPhone 6 owners in China have even claimed that battery problems cause their units to catch fire. According to the Shanghai Consumer Council, it has recorded eight reports involving iPhones exploding while being used or charged.
One woman alleged that her iPhone 6 Plus suddenly caught fire in August, leaving the display screen shattered and blackening the battery and back of the smartphone.
The council says that complaints against Apple products have increased sixfold in the past two months. These include cases where iPhone 6 and iPhone 6s units would shut down despite having enough power.
iPhone Power Failures
Apple has since addressed the issue, explaining that some iPhone 6 devices made between September and October 2015 have been found to experience power failures.
The company offered to replace the batteries of all affected iPhones whose serial numbers matched the ones posted on its website. Owners should bring their smartphones to an Apple Store or any authorized reseller to receive replacement batteries.
As for the supposedly exploding iPhone units, Apple says it has conducted tests on the devices and found no cause for concern in using them. The company believes the iPhones may have suffered some form of "external physical damage," which may have led to the thermal event.
Will iPhone Battery Replacements Solve The Issues?
The CCA, however, is not satisfied with Apple's explanation and is pushing for the company to provide a fix to other iPhone models with the same issues.
Apple's battery replacement offer also doesn't seem to address the problem as some iPhone owners still complain about abrupt shutdowns.
An iPhone 6s owner who received a replacement battery wrote on Weibo that his smartphone still keeps shutting down whenever it reaches 20 percent battery charge.
"I just want to ask Apple how changing the battery will fix the problem," the man said.
Apple is said to be working on releasing an iOS update, which would allow the company to properly diagnose an iPhone's battery performance. This would allow its engineers to develop a fix for the problem through future software patches.
