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Apple: iOS Update Fixes Random iPhone Shutdowns

Updating to iOS 10.2.1 may fix the problem.

By Tom Brant
February 27, 2017
Apple iPhone 6s

If your iPhone 6 or iPhone 6s randomly shuts down, updating to the latest version of iOS might fix the problem, Apple says.

The company told TechCrunch that software issues are causing a small number of iPhone owners to experience random shutdowns, but that most users reported significantly fewer issues after they upgraded to iOS 10.2.1.

Apple says more than 80 percent of iPhone 6s and 70 percent of the iPhone 6 shutdowns have been fixed with the update. Apple didn't comment on the remainder that are still experiencing problems, but said the update allows those users to restart their devices following a shutdown without plugging it into a power supply.

"It is important to note that these unexpected shutdowns are not a safety issue, but we understand it can be an inconvenience and wanted to fix the issue as quickly as possible," Apple said in a statement to TechCrunch.

The shutdown issue appears to be similar but not identical to a battery issue late last year that prompted Apple to recall a small batch of iPhone 6s handsets manufactured between September and October 2015.

That issue also resulted in random shutdowns, but they were battery related and not a problem with the software, Apple said. If you are experiencing random shutdowns, it's probably best to bring your device to an Apple store and update it to iOS 10.2.1 to make sure that neither the battery nor the software are causing problems.

Apple says it will soon add a "your battery needs service" message to the battery info screen in the Settings app when the phone detects a battery problem, according to TechCrunch.

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About Tom Brant

Deputy Managing Editor

I’m the deputy managing editor of the hardware team at PCMag.com. Reading this during the day? Then you've caught me testing gear and editing reviews of laptops, desktop PCs, and tons of other personal tech. (Reading this at night? Then I’m probably dreaming about all those cool products.) I’ve covered the consumer tech world as an editor, reporter, and analyst since 2015.

I’ve evaluated the performance, value, and features of hundreds of personal tech devices and services, from laptops to Wi-Fi hotspots and everything in between. I’ve also covered the launches of dozens of groundbreaking technologies, from hyperloop test tracks in the desert to the latest silicon from Apple and Intel.

I've appeared on CBS News, in USA Today, and at many other outlets to offer analysis on breaking technology news.

Before I joined the tech-journalism ranks, I wrote on topics as diverse as Borneo's rain forests, Middle Eastern airlines, and Big Data's role in presidential elections. A graduate of Middlebury College, I also have a master's degree in journalism and French Studies from New York University.

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