Incident: iOS 15.6 Update Causes Battery Drain Issues on iPhones

Published Date: 2022-07-26

Postmortem Analysis
Timeline 1. The software failure incident of iOS 15.6 affecting battery life for iPhone users happened when the article was published on July 26, 2022. [130355]
System 1. Battery life on iPhones after updating to iOS 15.6 [130355]
Responsible Organization 1. Apple [130355]
Impacted Organization 1. iPhone users were impacted by the software failure incident with the iOS 15.6 update, specifically experiencing battery life issues [130355].
Software Causes 1. The iOS 15.6 update for iPhones introduced a bug that affected battery life for several users [130355]. 2. The update included patches for 39 vulnerabilities that could potentially allow hackers to exploit the system, including memory safety flaws and remote code execution attacks [130355]. 3. The update also fixed various flaws in the system, such as incorrectly displaying storage as full and issues with Safari tabs [130355].
Non-software Causes 1. Battery recalibration and background processes triggered by installing a new OS on an iPhone [130355]
Impacts 1. The iOS 15.6 update for iPhones caused battery life issues for several users, with reports of rapid battery drain and degraded battery life on various iPhone models [130355]. 2. Users experienced frustration and inconvenience due to the battery draining quickly after updating to iOS 15.6, impacting their daily usage of the devices [130355]. 3. The software failure incident led to users discussing the battery-draining issue on social media platforms like Twitter, indicating a widespread impact on iPhone users [130355]. 4. Despite the battery issues, Apple urged users to download iOS 15.6 as it included patches for 39 vulnerabilities that could potentially expose devices to security risks, emphasizing the importance of addressing these vulnerabilities [130355].
Preventions 1. Thorough testing and quality assurance processes before releasing the iOS 15.6 update could have helped prevent the battery drain issue experienced by iPhone users [130355]. 2. Conducting more extensive user acceptance testing to identify potential issues with battery life on various iPhone models could have prevented the widespread problem with iOS 15.6 [130355]. 3. Implementing a more gradual rollout of the update to monitor and address any unexpected issues in real-time could have mitigated the impact of the battery drain problem on users [130355].
Fixes 1. Installing a new OS on an iPhone triggers background processes like indexing and battery recalibration, which can consume power and give the impression of rapid battery drain. This issue may resolve itself over time as these processes complete [130355]. 2. Checking the battery health of the iPhone by going to Settings > Battery > Battery Health to ensure it shows "good for Peak Performance Capability" can help determine if the battery drain is due to normal processes or a bug [130355]. 3. Apple has released iOS 15.6, which includes patches for 39 vulnerabilities that could potentially allow hackers to access sensitive data or execute remote code on the device. Updating to iOS 15.6 can help mitigate these security risks [130355].
References 1. Twitter users discussing battery life on iOS 15.6 [130355] 2. Researchers at iAppleBytes who conducted tests on battery life on iOS 15.6 [130355] 3. Adrian Kingsley-Hughes, a researcher at ZDNet, providing insights on battery issues related to iOS 15.6 [130355]

Software Taxonomy of Faults

Category Option Rationale
Recurring one_organization (a) The software failure incident having happened again at one_organization: The article reports that with the release of iOS 15.6, several iPhone users have reported that the update is affecting their battery life. This is not the first time such issues have occurred with Apple's software updates. Users have experienced similar battery drain problems in the past with previous iOS updates [130355]. (b) The software failure incident having happened again at multiple_organization: There is no information in the provided article indicating that similar software failure incidents have occurred at other organizations or with their products and services.
Phase (Design/Operation) design, operation (a) The software failure incident related to the design phase can be seen in the article [130355]. The iOS 15.6 update for iPhones introduced a bug that incorrectly showed users their storage was full, even when it was available. This flaw was addressed in the update, indicating a failure due to contributing factors introduced during system development or updates. (b) The software failure incident related to the operation phase is evident in the same article [130355]. Users reported that after updating to iOS 15.6, their battery life was significantly affected, with some experiencing rapid battery drain. This issue was attributed to the operation or usage of the system after the update, indicating a failure introduced during the operation of the system.
Boundary (Internal/External) within_system, outside_system (a) within_system: The software failure incident related to the iOS 15.6 update affecting battery life on iPhones is primarily within the system. The update introduced bugs that caused battery drain issues for many users, as reported by frustrated iPhone users on Twitter and confirmed by researchers at iAppleBytes [130355]. Additionally, the article mentions that installing a new OS triggers background processes like indexing and battery recalibration, which can lead to the impression of rapid battery drain even when it's not actually the case [130355]. (b) outside_system: The software failure incident related to the iOS 15.6 update also has contributing factors originating from outside the system. Specifically, the article highlights that Apple included patches for 39 vulnerabilities in iOS 15.6 to address security risks that could allow hackers to exploit the system [130355]. These vulnerabilities, if left unpatched, could potentially lead to security breaches and unauthorized access to sensitive data, indicating external threats impacting the software system.
Nature (Human/Non-human) non-human_actions, human_actions (a) The software failure incident related to non-human actions in this case is the battery drain issue experienced by iPhone users after updating to iOS 15.6. The update introduced a bug that affected the battery life of iPhones, causing rapid drainage even with light usage [130355]. (b) The software failure incident related to human actions in this case is the introduction of vulnerabilities and flaws in the iOS 15.6 update that could potentially allow hackers to exploit the system. Apple urged users to download the update to patch 39 vulnerabilities that could be exploited by bad actors, highlighting the importance of human actions in addressing security issues [130355].
Dimension (Hardware/Software) hardware, software (a) The software failure incident related to hardware: - The article mentions that researchers at iAppleBytes conducted tests on battery life on iOS 15.6 and found that the software degraded the battery life of the vast majority of iPhone models. This degradation in battery life could be attributed to hardware factors such as battery recalibration and background processes triggered by installing a new OS on an iPhone [130355]. (b) The software failure incident related to software: - The software failure incident in this case is primarily related to software issues within iOS 15.6. Users reported that after updating to iOS 15.6, their battery life was significantly affected, with some experiencing rapid battery drain. Additionally, the update included fixes for various vulnerabilities and flaws within the system, such as incorrect storage display and Safari tab behavior, indicating software-related issues [130355].
Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) malicious (a) The software failure incident related to the iOS 15.6 update for iPhones includes malicious factors. Apple rolled out the update to patch 39 vulnerabilities that could potentially allow hackers to exploit the system, such as memory safety flaws and remote code execution attacks. These vulnerabilities could act as open windows for hackers to access sensitive data, track devices, terminate WiFi access, and more [130355].
Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) poor_decisions (a) The software failure incident related to the iOS 15.6 update for iPhones can be attributed to poor_decisions. Apple released the update with the intent to fix bugs and vulnerabilities, but it ended up affecting the battery life of many users. Despite the importance of patching vulnerabilities, the update caused significant battery drain issues for users, leading to frustration and complaints on social media platforms like Twitter. Researchers also found that the software degraded the battery life of the vast majority of iPhone models, indicating a poor decision in the release of the update without fully addressing the impact on battery performance [130355].
Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) development_incompetence, accidental (a) The software failure incident related to development incompetence is evident in the iOS 15.6 update for iPhones. The update, which was anticipated for months, included bug fixes but ended up affecting the battery life of several iPhone users [130355]. This indicates a lack of thorough testing or oversight during the development process, leading to unintended consequences for users. (b) The software failure incident related to accidental factors is seen in the battery drain issue experienced by iPhone users after updating to iOS 15.6. Researchers explained that installing a new OS triggers background processes like indexing and battery recalibration, which can lead to rapid battery drain, giving the impression of a problem when it might be a normal process [130355]. This accidental impact on battery life was not intentional but rather a side effect of the update process.
Duration temporary The software failure incident related to the battery drain issue on iOS 15.6 for iPhone users can be considered temporary. The article mentions that installing a new OS triggers various background processes like indexing and battery recalibration, which can consume power and give the impression of rapid battery drain. Additionally, app updates and new features may also contribute to increased power consumption, especially on older handsets [130355].
Behaviour value, other (a) crash: The software failure incident related to the iOS 15.6 update for iPhones is not described as a crash where the system loses state and does not perform any of its intended functions. Instead, the issue reported is related to battery life being affected after the update, indicating a performance issue rather than a complete system crash [130355]. (b) omission: The software failure incident is not related to the system omitting to perform its intended functions at an instance(s). Instead, the reported issue is about the impact on battery life after the update, suggesting a performance degradation rather than a specific omission of functions [130355]. (c) timing: The software failure incident is not described as a timing issue where the system performs its intended functions correctly but too late or too early. The focus of the incident is on the impact on battery life and potential performance degradation after the iOS 15.6 update [130355]. (d) value: The software failure incident is related to the system performing its intended functions incorrectly. Specifically, users have reported that iOS 15.6 is affecting their battery life, indicating a deviation from the expected performance of the software update [130355]. (e) byzantine: The software failure incident is not described as a byzantine failure where the system behaves erroneously with inconsistent responses and interactions. The primary issue highlighted in the article is the impact on battery life after the iOS 15.6 update, indicating a specific performance problem rather than erratic behavior [130355]. (f) other: The software failure incident related to the iOS 15.6 update for iPhones is primarily focused on the impact on battery life, with users reporting significant battery drain after installing the update. This behavior falls under the category of performance issues rather than a complete system crash or omission of functions [130355].

IoT System Layer

Layer Option Rationale
Perception None None
Communication None None
Application None None

Other Details

Category Option Rationale
Consequence property (d) property: People's material goods, money, or data was impacted due to the software failure - The software failure incident related to the iOS 15.6 update for iPhones caused issues with battery life for several users [130355]. - Users reported significant battery drain after updating to iOS 15.6, affecting their daily usage of the device [130355]. - Researchers found that the software degraded the battery life of the vast majority of iPhone models after the update [130355]. - The battery issues led to frustration among users who experienced rapid battery drain, impacting their ability to use their devices effectively [130355].
Domain information (a) The software failure incident reported in the articles is related to the information industry, specifically affecting iPhone users who downloaded the iOS 15.6 update. The update included bug fixes and patches for vulnerabilities that could potentially expose users to remote code execution attacks and allow bad actors to access sensitive data in the iCloud Photo Library [130355]. The update also aimed to fix flaws like incorrectly showing users their storage was full or how a tab in Safari reverts to a previous page on its own [130355].

Sources

Back to List