Killer Charge: BMW’s wireless charging pad is killing some iPhones 15 in a very bizarre way

While the iPhone 15’s overheating issues have raised concerns, especially with the Pro and Pro Max models, a new problem has emerged in the past few days. Some consumers have reported that using the wireless charging pad in BMW cars can potentially damage the NFC chip in their phones, leading to the phone ceasing to function entirely. Several BMW owners have encountered a “Could Not Set Up Apple Pay” error message when attempting to charge their iPhone 15 in their vehicles. A malfunctioning NFC chip not only disrupts Apple Pay but also prevents the use of Apple Wallet tickets and the phone as a digital car key. It seems that the phone enters a recovery mode temporarily, and rebooting or resetting it doesn’t resolve the issue. These problems were initially documented in the MacRumors.com forums and on Twitter/X. It’s worth noting that while the iPhone 15’s overheating issue appears to be related to an iOS 17 bug, wireless charging typically generates more heat than cable charging. Furthermore, if you’re in a car on a warm day, this can further increase the temperature of your phone. Based on the reports, it appears that the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max models are the most affected by this issue. However, it’s advisable for all iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus users to avoid charging their phones via their BMWs. Several BMW models, including the X5, are reportedly causing this problem.