Brightness dims in extended sunlight exposure?

katesbb

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Nov 25, 2012
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When my iPhone 6 i(running 8.3) is first exposed to sunlight, the automatic brightness brightens to 100% (or close to it) as you'd expect. But after a few minutes in the summer sun, it'll suddenly dim itself substantially. No fading to the new level, it just suddenly drops in brightness. Sometimes it'll do it multiple times separated by a few minutes.

The brightness slider doesn't change when this happens, and toggling it from manual to automatic or sliding the slider can't get it back to it's original brightness. It seems I have to go indoors for awhile (where it naturally dims), then when I go back outside it's super bright again... until a few minutes later it drops to being somewhat dim again. Repeat.

Any chance there's a thermal sensor in the iPhone which turns down the LCD panel's backlight whenever it gets too hot? That's the only thing I've noticed - that it gets rather hot in sunlight after a few minutes.

Or does my phone have a hardware fault?

It's generally still viewable after it dims, but it's the difference between being easily readable and a bit of a struggle to see in sunlight.
 

kch50428

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It could be heat related... I'd visit a Genius Bar if one is close... Describe what's going on to them, and see what they have to say.
 

katesbb

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I was able to replicate it using a friends iPhone 6 as well.

After googling around some more, I found others mentioning it, as well as this overheating note from Apple: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201678

So I guess it's normal to dim the screen when it gets too hot, though maybe not normal that it is getting too hot.

I'm surprised so few people have mentioned it though, since I can easily replicate it with two phones now.

One thing both phones have in common is we both use the same case. I've tried it now without the case and it doesn't dim as much as when using the case.

Just FYI for others :)
 

Ledsteplin

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Oct 2, 2013
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I was able to replicate it using a friends iPhone 6 as well.

After googling around some more, I found others mentioning it, as well as this overheating note from Apple: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201678

So I guess it's normal to dim the screen when it gets too hot, though maybe not normal that it is getting too hot.

I'm surprised so few people have mentioned it though, since I can easily replicate it with two phones now.

One thing both phones have in common is we both use the same case. I've tried it now without the case and it doesn't dim as much as when using the case.

Just FYI for others :)

Phones will get hotter in a case,


 

Pale Wraith

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I've been having this issue lately with temperatures hitting 100?. I put my 6 Plus to sleep and stick it in my pocket for a minute or two and everything's fine again.


Sent from my iPhone 6 Plus
 

katesbb

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I've been having this issue lately with temperatures hitting 100?. I put my 6 Plus to sleep and stick it in my pocket for a minute or two and everything's fine again.

Same here. Get it into shade for a few minutes, and all is well again.

It makes sense in hindsight, but my androids and BlackBerries never did/do that, even though they got really hot too. I guess it's a good idea though - don't want to have my pretty phone melt :)
 

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