iPhone users say Apple’s iOS 16.5.1 update is RUINING their battery life, with reports of charge draining within hours – here’s what to do if your phone is affected

iPhone users have cracked Apple’s latest update amid claims it’s “killing” their battery life.

Complaints have taken Twitter by storm in recent days, as users claim that the latest release of iOS 16.5.1(c) has ruined their device’s hardware.

One user claimed that his battery dropped from 77 percent to zero when the update happened while sleeping for just five hours.

Others have complained of overheating issues, with one even claiming their hands felt “burnt” after holding their phone for too long.

Now some iPhone owners are thinking about ditching their devices altogether and possibly moving to Android instead.

“Whatever secret sauce they put in that latest iPhone update that’s killing my battery, they just can’t,” one user wrote.

Another person added, “I went to sleep with 77% battery life, 5 hours later I had no battery and my iPhone is hot!” Got IOS 16.5.1, the latest update,” while another wrote, “I don’t like this new update. Android can’t stress me out like that.’

iOS 16.5.1(c) was released last week along with iPadOS 16.5.1(c) in an effort to quickly fix an issue that caused some websites to not display correctly.

These Rapid Security Responses are a new type of “mini” software release that comes in between major updates for iPads, Macs, and iPhones.

But the frustration over this comes just months before Apple’s anticipated September event, where the California-based company is expected to announce the launch of its iPhone 15 models.

Amidst these rumors, one person even claimed that Apple could be using the battery-draining updates as a way to encourage people to buy new products.

This comes after one series of lawsuits against Apple about “throtting” the performance of its devices to get users to buy a newer model.

The tech giant has already paid a $113 million fine in the US in connection with battery issues dating back to 2017.

Apple was also fined €10 million in Italy, while consumer champion Justin Gutmann launched a class action lawsuit against the company in June last year.

One person shared an image of their battery’s maximum capacity and wrote, “94% last week, 93% today.

Some users are thinking of throwing away their iPhones altogether because of their frustrations

“Apple is pushing those battery % updates to let me upgrade to the iPhone 15 Pro in September.”

Another also added, “Has anyone else had issues with their iPhone overheating after the latest update? My hands feel like they’ve been sunburned after using it.”

Apple experts argue that these updates help preserve the battery life of older devices and are not just a cynical ploy to get customers to buy new phones.

Following recent complaints about battery life, Apple Support was seen inviting some affected users to private Twitter discussions.

To one user, they said, ‘Hello! We are happy to see how we can help. Send us a DM and provide some details of the issue and we’ll continue troubleshooting in the DM for resolution.’

While Apple has not commented on these issues, they may actually be quite normal in the wake of power-intensive updates.

Software changes can take hours and even days to fully complete, meaning battery status can fluctuate in the meantime. according to ZDNET.

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes, a researcher at ZDNet, previously explained, “Installing a new operating system on an iPhone activates many things in the background, from indexing to recalibrating the battery, and this can take hours or even days. .

These issues come just months before the expected launch of Apple’s iPhone 15 models

There have been numerous ‘leaks’ of iPhone 15 dummies and blueprints ahead of its launch which is expected to take place in September this year

While Apple has not commented on these issues, they may actually be quite normal in the wake of power intensive updates

“Not only does this consume power, but recalibrating the battery may give the impression that the battery is draining faster, when in fact it is not.

“Add to that the dual factor of a lot of app updates that happen after a new release, combined with a lot of new features available that can put more strain on an older handset.”

However, if the problems persist, it may be a good idea to check the maximum capacity of your phone’s battery.

An iPhone’s ability to hold a charge decreases as the battery ages chemically, which can result in fewer hours of use and poorer performance between charges.

This is located on the Battery tab in the Settings menu on an iPhone’s home page.

If your battery needs to be replaced, an ‘important battery message’ will appear indicating that the battery has significantly deteriorated.

But if you have previously replaced your battery at a non-Apple phone store, this information may not be visible.

Instead, an “unknown component” pop-up may appear. When clicked, it may say, “Unable to verify if this iPhone has a genuine Apple battery. Health information not available for this battery.”

Apple also says users can take a number of steps to maximize their battery life as well.

It is a must to keep your device away from extreme temperatures over 35°C to preserve battery life.

Certain cases should also be removed while charging a device if they generate excessive heat to prevent unexpected device failure.

For long-term health, Apple advises users not to “put away” their phones at 100 percent or let them drain completely.

Keeping a device fully charged for extended periods of time can actually degrade a battery’s capacity, which is why charging to 50 percent is usually better.

MailOnline has reached out to Apple for comment.