Apple has blamed Instagram and other popular apps for an overheating issue with the iPhone 15. The US tech giant said a software bug tied to the Meta-owned app was among the reasons for users reporting that its latest range of smartphones, unveiled last month, become “too hot to touch” while performing certain tasks. The company is working on an update to its latest iOS 17 operating system, which serves as the software for the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. Meta has acknowledged the issue, which some users have dubbed “heatgate”, and modified its Instagram app in an effort to prevent it from heating up the device. Other apps blamed for the problem, including Uber and the video game Asphalt 9, are yet to roll out updates, according to Apple. There is also no timeline for when Apple’s own software fix would be issued but the firm said no safety issues should prevent iPhone 15 owners from using their devices while awaiting the update. “We have identified a few conditions which can cause iPhones to run warmer than expected,” Apple said in a short statement. It’s not unusual for new iPhones to get uncomfortably warm during the first few days of use or when they are being restored with backup information stored in the cloud – issues that Apple already flags for users. The devices also can get hot when using apps such as video games and augmented reality technology that require a lot of processing power, but the heating issues with the iPhone 15 models have gone beyond those typical situations. In its acknowledgement, Apple stressed that the trouble isn’t related to the new titanium casing that houses the high-end iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max instead of the stainless steel used on older smartphones. Apple also dismissed speculation that the overheating problem in the new models might be tied to a shift from its proprietary Lightning charging cable to the more widely used USB-C port that allowed it to comply with a mandate issued by European regulators. Although Apple expressed confidence that the overheating issue can be quickly fixed with the upcoming software updates, the problem still could dampen sales of its marquee product at a time when the company has faced three consecutive quarters of year-over-year declines in overall sales. The downturn has affected iPhone sales, which fell by a combined 4 per cent in the nine months covered by Apple’s past three fiscal quarters compared with a year earlier. Apple is trying to boost its sales in part by raising the starting price for its top-of-the-line iPhone 15 Pro Max to $1,200, an increase of $100, or 9 per cent, from last year’s flagship model. In its acknowledgement of the iPhone 15 overheating issue, Apple said the planned software update would not impact the phone’s performance, which analysts had warned is a possibility. Additional reporting from agencies Read More Tim Cook interview: Apple boss talks trillion-dollar transformation and ushering in new era of computing

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The key to longer-lasting batteries may lie in soap, according to a new study. Scientists have developed a new promising substance used for designing batteries. They said it acts in a manner similar to soap removing grease, dirt and germs. Localised high-concentration electrolytes could be the “missing piece” that fully open the door to building longer-lasting batteries, said a recent study published in the journal Nature Materials. The key to longer-lasting batteries may lie in understanding how soap gets rid of dirt. It forms tiny structures called micelles that act as a bridge between water and what is being cleaned away by wrapping them into small structures. Scientists from Brown University said a similar process plays out in localised high-concentration electrolytes – described as one of the most promising substances for designing batteries. Electrolytes are key in the energy-storing process as they allow an electrical charge to pass between a battery’s two terminals. This sparks the chemical reaction needed to convert stored chemical energy to electricity. Batteries made from lithium metal have a greater energy storage capacity than today’s lithium-ion batteries. But the electrolytes commonly used to power lithium-ion batteries don’t do this effectively in metal-based batteries, researchers explained. “The big picture is that we want to improve and increase the energy density for batteries, meaning how much energy they store per cycle and how many cycles the battery lasts,” said study co-author Yue Qi from Brown University. “To do this, materials inside of traditional batteries need to be replaced to make long-life batteries that store more energy a reality – think batteries that can power a phone for a week or more, or electric vehicles that go for 500 miles,” Dr Qi said. Electrolytes for lithium-ion batteries are made of low-concentration salt dissolved in a liquid solvent. The new type of electrolytes, however, are created by mixing high concentrations of salt in a solvent with another liquid called a diluent. Scientists said this makes the electrolyte flow better so the power of the battery can be maintained. They also found the electrolyte functions like soap. “The paper provides a unified theory to why this electrolyte works better and the key understanding of it came by finding that micelle-like structures form within this electrolyte – like they do with soap,” said study co-author Bin Li from the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. “Here we see that the role of the soap or surfactant is played by the solvent that binds both the diluent and the salt,” Dr Li explained, “wrapping itself around the higher concentration salt in the center of the micelle”. While in lab tests, this type of electrolyte has shown promising results, how it works has remained elusive. This has put a cap on how effective it can be and how it can be further developed. The new understanding has, however, helped scientists develop the right concentrations needed to bring about optimal reactions for the batteries. “The concept of the micelle may be new for the electrolyte, but it’s actually very common for our daily life,” Dr Qi said. “Now we have a theory, and we have guidelines to get interactions we want from the salt, the solvent and the diluent in the electrolyte, and what concentration they have to be at and how you mix them.” Researchers said this new understanding could lead to introducing a proper balance of the three battery ingredients and also help extend the life of lithium-metal batteries. Read More Ireland and Apple await major development in long-running EU tax dispute Apple just released an iPhone update you should download right now Smartphones ‘may be able to detect how drunk a person is with 98% accuracy’ Ireland and Apple await major development in long-running EU tax dispute Apple just released an iPhone update you should download right now Smartphones ‘may be able to detect how drunk a person is with 98% accuracy’

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TalkTV host Piers Morgan, who has become known for his continued criticism of Meghan Markle, has now taken to Twitter to say it’s “time to stop” the “relentless persecution” of former This Morning presenter Phillip Schofield following news of his affair with a younger male colleague. Schofield left the popular ITV daytime show in May, before going on to issue a second statement via the Daily Mail in which he revealed he had a “consensual on-off relationship” with the individual which was “unwise, but not illegal”. “I am painfully conscious that I have lied to my employers at ITV, to my colleagues and friends, to my agents, to the media and therefore the public and most importantly of all to my family. I am so very, very sorry, as I am for having been unfaithful to my wife,” he said. Then, in his first broadcast interview following this statement with the BBC’s media editor Amol Rajan, he said he understood “how Caroline Flack felt”, referring to the late ITV presenter who died by suicide in February 2020 following intense tabloid coverage of her life. Schofield said: “Last week, if my daughters hadn’t been there, I wouldn’t be here. They guarded me and wouldn’t let me out of their sight. “It’s like a weird numbness. I know that’s a selfish point of view, but you come to a point where you just think, ‘how much are you supposed to take? Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter “If you don’t think that is going to have the most catastrophic effect on someone’s mind… Do you want me to die?” Sharing his thoughts on the ongoing scandal, Morgan tweeted on Friday: “Unless Phillip Schofield’s ex-lover contradicts his version of events to The Sun and BBC, then it’s time to stop this relentless persecution of a guy who’s lost everything and looks right on the edge to me. “He doesn’t seem to have committed any crime, and he’s not a govt minister.” However, Twitter users were quick to accuse the broadcaster of “hypocrisy”, as some argued he’s engaged in the “relentless persecution” of Meghan: In fact, in March 2021, after the duchess revealed to Oprah Winfrey that she was having suicidal thoughts following the backlash over her stepping back from royal duties with her husband Harry, Morgan said on ITV’s Good Morning Britain that “I don’t believe a word she says”. “I wouldn’t believe her if she read me a weather report,” he added. The remarks received widespread condemnation at the time, to the extent the mental health charity Mind said it was “disappointed and concerned” by the comments and more than 41,000 complaints were made to the broadcasting regulator Ofcom. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

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Period sex isn’t for everyone, and we totally get that. I have symptoms like cramping, nausea, and migraines that don’t lend themselves to feeling in the mood, and that’s not even taking into account the red mess it creates. But this year, Nixit wants to make sure that I know having a great orgasm during my period doesn’t have to be weird, gross, or uncomfortable. In fact, it doesn’t have to be messy at all. The sexual wellness brand is encouraging masturbation positivity all month long (in honor of May Masturbation month), and that includes during your period week. Because of Nixit’s enthusiasm, I am willing to try it…if only I can make it easier or less messy. And according to information about the brand’s lube bundle, I totally can.

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