The iPhone XS has a serious charging problem, but Apple has so far remained silent on the issue that is also affecting the larger iPhone XS Max.
The issue adds to the reports of poor cellular reception for the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max. Fortunately, there is a solution that owners of the new iPhones can try, while waiting for an official fix from Apple.
iPhone XS Not Charging: Here's What You Can Do
iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max owners have taken to various online forums to report charging issues with their new smartphones.
Users claim that their iPhone XS or iPhone XS Max does not charge if the Lightning cable is plugged in while the smartphone is asleep. Some units even become frozen afterward, and need to be restarted.
To start charging properly, the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max needs to be awake before plugging in the Lightning cable.
On his YouTube channel Unbox Therapy, vlogger Lewis Hilsenteger demonstrated the issue on nine iPhone X, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max devices. He discovered that some iPhones immediately respond after being plugged into a charger, but others need to be tapped to awaken to start charging, and others freeze.
The problem is likely due to Apple's restrictions against transferring data through cables while the iPhone XS or iPhone XS Max is sleeping, for the purpose of preventing hacking and sabotage activities. However, this reason is murky at best because the issue is not experienced in all units of the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max.
The suggested workaround is for users to upgrade to iOS 12.1 beta, which completely eliminates the problem. However, not everyone is capable and willing to install a beta version of Apple's mobile operating system.
Apple Staying Silent On Serious iPhone XS Issue
Apple, meanwhile, has remained silent on what should be considered a serious iPhone XS issue, similar to how the company stayed quiet for weeks after the iPhone battery throttling issue that started in late 2017.
Apple needs to acknowledge the problem, at the very least, and assure customers that it is working on an accessible solution for an issue that plagues smartphones that cost about $1,000 each.
