Apple has admitted that a small number of iPhone 5S handsets have been affected by a manufacturing issue that ruins battery performance.
In a statement released to the New York Times, Apple accepted that there was an issue with a "very limited number" of iPhone 5S phones, which results in shortened battery life and extended charge times.
"We recently discovered a manufacturing issue affecting a very limited number of iPhone 5S devices that could cause the battery to take longer to charge or result in reduced battery life," reads the statement from Apple's Teresa Brewer.
"We are reaching out to customers with affected phones and will provide them with a replacement phone."
There are no specific numbers revealed by Apple in its statement, but according to the report Apple’s use of language suggests that a few thousand iPhone 5S devices have been affected by this issue.
It’s not the first hardware issue that Apple has had to face with its new flagship phone. Soon after launch, numerous reports emerged of sensor issues that threw a number of accelerometer-dependent apps and games off on the new iPhone.
It soon emerged that Apple was using a less precise component than previous iPhones. However, the company appears to have corrected the issue with the iOS 7.0.3 software update.
The iPhone 5S's ongoing (and potentially worsening) stock shortages could also be seen as a manufacturing issue, albeit a far more positive one for Apple to have. Demand for the handset continues to be strong, with the recent announcement that iPhone sales were up 26 percent on the previous year.
Read More: iPhone 5S problems and pitfalls
