Oliver Haslam on December 3, 2016, 7:13 am

Here’s Why iPhone 6s Shuts Off With Battery Left, According To Apple

Apple has posted a message on its website to explain the reason why iPhone 6s shuts off with battery left in the tank.

According to the short note, some models feature batteries that were mishandled during the production process, causing them to degrade more quickly than they normally would. This, according to Apple, is causing some iPhones to apparently refuse to work with as much as 30% of their battery life still remaining.

Apple, though, does have its iPhones configured in a way that they automatically shut down in particular circumstances such as unusually high, or unusually low temperatures. This is to protect an iPhone’s internals from damage in such a situation.

According to Apple’s note on the Chinese version of its official website, that does not appear to be what is at play here with affected iPhone 6s units. Rather, a portion of devices manufactured between September and October 2015 are simply defective.

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. As a result, these batteries degrade faster than a normal battery and cause unexpected shutdowns to occur. It’s important to note, this is not a safety issue.

As is perhaps to be expected, Apple is quick to point out that the battery issues that some iPhone 6s models are falling foul of are not safety concerns. Following the problems Samsung has experienced with its Galaxy Note 7 smartphone, it is understandable Apple is trying to ensure no panic sets in here. Samsung infamously had to recall the Galaxy Note 7 twice before killing the product completely following a string of incidents that saw the devices catch fire and, in some instances explode, due to faulty batteries. Thankfully, that is not the case here.

Apple has a free battery replacement program for affected devices in place already. If you were an early iPhone 6s adopter, you should check out here whether your phone is eligible for free battery replacement from Apple even if it’s out of warranty. It’s important to note that Apple’s free battery replacement program applies to only those iPhone 6s units where were manufactured between September and October 2015. iPhone 6s Plus, and any other iPhone model for that matter, is not affected and/or eligible for this program.

(Source: Apple)