I updated my iPhone 7 due to some software I needed to install for work that required iOS 15. (I previously was on iOS 14.) This is a work phone that I've had for years with absolutely no issues. Immediately after the phone rebooted I began have the same severe issues that I have with many other new devices (both LCD and OLED when in comes to phones. I've not been able to use any OLED iPhone).

For me the symptoms are a hard to describe mix of extreme unease - a warmth through the head and face and body, something that feels like dizziness, a brain fog, nausea, strain, and sometimes muscle pain and weird chest feelings - all of which take quite a while to completely go away. These symptoms for me are pretty much immediate with a "bad" device.

I have two other devices (an iPhone SE 2020 and an iPad Pro (1st Gen) 9.7") that are on iOS 15.4. Those are completely fine so I wasn't worried about the update on the iPhone 7. The update last night took the iPhone 7 to iOS 15.8.1 which is the most recent iOS 15 version.

My anxiety is through the roof today because this was one of the last phones I have been able to use. My main phone is an iPhone SE 2022 that is on iOS 16.1.1. I'm haven't updated it because of the issues I've seen online with further versions of iOS.

It seems like later versions of both iOS 15 and iOS 16 render many previously usable Apple products unusable. I know there are people who have similar issues so I put together a summary of LCD iOS products that I have access to. I've included the iOS. Maybe other people could add to this and we could potentially track down with Apple exactly when/what changed.

For iOS 15 it looks like something changed in a version between 15.4 and 15.8.1

For iOS 16 it looks like something changed in a version between 16.1.1 and 16.3.1

The only silver lining I see here is at least for these Apple LCDs it's clearly not the actual physical device/screen causing the issues. For all of the "bad" devices below they were all perfectly usable at one point before something happened in an update. Previously it had seemed that I was fine with anything before Apple moved to "Liquid Retina". Now that isn't the case Being that this is a software change I feel like there has to be some way to turn off whatever is happening.

Has anyone been able to talk to Apple about potential causes for this? I sent a message to Apple Accessibility but haven't received much of an answer other than they would forward it to the appropriate people. Not sure if that is the best place to make contact with Apple.

Bad Devices - (Cause Immediate Symptoms)

iOS Version
iPad 6th Gen16.3.1
iPad Pro 1st Gen (9.7 inch)16.6.1
iPad  9th Gen17.0.1
iPhone 715.8.1

Good Devices - (No Symptoms and can use indefinitely)

iOS Version
iPhone SE 202216.1.1
iPhone SE 202015.4
iPhone SE 202013.7
iPad Pro 1st Gen (9.7 inch)15.4
iPhone 713.5.1
iPhone 611.0.3

I'm at a complete loss as to what to do at this point. I no longer have a usable work phone which is a big problem for me right now. I'm hoping narrowing down when the change happened might help in asking Apple for an accessibility solution. I've seen plenty of posts about "don't update to iOS 15, 16, 17 etc." but I think sometimes what is happened is people are jumping from a "good" version of the iOS generation to the next generation and assuming change happened with the generation change. Based on what I've found here is looks like the switch actually happened mid generation.

Unfortunately I cannot help you but I have the same issue. I get signifiant headaches / migraine symptoms. I believe it is flicker induced.

Iphone 8+ was fine for me up to ios 14.8, I then updated to IOS 15, 16 and to whatever is current latest for them (with the hope that at each ios it would get better), it has never been usable since even using the same reduce white point settings and other accesibility settings as before.

As such I never updated my regular 8 beyond 14.8, I also trialed an iphone 7 on IOS15 and it wasnt helping, I also had a SE 2020 on IOS 15 but also didnt work. (I returned them)

They changed something at IOS15. I raised this with apple and they told me they will not discuss these changes with me as they are proriatory.

I would like to get a flicker meter and compare the 8 and 8+ or an 8 on ios14 and an 8 on ios 17 / whatever is current latest as I belive apple made changes. OR reduce white point was 'bugged' at ios 14 and lower, they then 'fixed' this on ios 15 onwards so it no longe works the same way.

If it was my eyes, why is the device OK to use at ios 14? If it is my brain what is the screen doing differently at ios 15+ Apple will not tell me.

Unless we can get 10,000 people to have the same issue contact Apple and or a 'celebrity' I do not think anything will happen, if we can prove using a flicker meter that ios update changed flicker someone in certain countries may be able to initiate class action lawsuit but of course that would require scientific proof (such as the person that was able to prove apple slowed down devices when ios updated and there was lawsuit)

    HAL9000

    Uggh. How were you able to get in contact with someone at Apple? How long ago was this? Maybe there are more people affected now and we might be able to get some traction?

    I wish I understood display rendering more. It's unbelievable to me how a screen that gives no symptoms at all can switch to something that makes me feel sick immediately all with just a software update.

        If your device is vulnerable to checkm8, you’re willing to give up security features (passcode lock, biometrics, etc.), and you’re desperate, there is a tool that may be able to do a tethered (unfortunately) downgrade to an earlier major iOS version. Tethered, meaning you have to reconnect the device to a computer to restore its state whenever you reboot it. I never tried it, as I wasn’t willing to use a device without a passcode as this bypass seems to require (so probably not at all useful for corporate devices).

        https://github.com/edwin170/downr1n

        ocean10

        I think I actually contacted their support via phone, I've had to do this before for other issues with OSX years ago, I remember I had a phone call with them and was told they were escalating the request but not long after I was told they couldnt provide any details of the IOS changes. I was told to submit a feedback request, but again I dont think only us few people will have any effect on apple.

          dev