Apple silent over #ChargeGate issue with iPhone XS and XS Max

Apple has remained silent amid complaints that its iPhone XS and XS Max smartphones won't charge if the handsets' screens are turned off.

The issue has been raised by users across the globe who say that the tech giant’s newest generation of phones fail to start charging when a Lightning cable is plugged in, unless they also switch their screen on.

It “isn’t clear how widespread the problem is, but it’s been flagged up on multiple platforms, including Reddit, Twitter (the hashtag ‘#ChargeGate’ is getting some traction) and Apple’s own support forums”, says TrustedReviews.

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A YouTube channel “Unbox Therapy” has demonstrated this issue in a video where the iPhone XS and XS Max are not getting charged when plugged into a charging cable.

The channel’s Lewis Hilsenteger found most of the iPhones he demonstrated were not charging via the charging cable. Some were not charging when in a sleep state and only did so when he woke them up by tapping on the screen. But some of them were also not charging at all, not even when they were on and working.

Some users have speculated that the problem is related to a recent change in Apple's security settings.

Since iOS 11.4.1 was released, “the lightning port on iPhones can be disabled when the phone has been idle for a while, to stop thieves or cyber-attackers using it”, reports the BBC.

“In some cases, it might not charge,” Apple advises on its website.

However, “that does not explain why more iPhone XS and XS Max users are facing the issue”, adds the broadcaster.

Some users have also speculated the issue could be related to USB Restricted Mode, introduced in iOS 11.4.1, “which prevents an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch from communicating with USB accessories via the Lightning connector if one hour or longer has passed since the device was last unlocked”, says tech website Mac Rumours.

“In the YouTube comments on the Unbox Therapy video, some users claim to be experiencing the same issue on older iPhones and iPads, so there is a decent chance this is a software issue that could be addressed in a future iOS 12 update”, adds the website.