Hi all! It's great to have a waterproof iPhone! You can read books or play games while lying in the bath, record videos while up to your neck in the sea. Or just wash it if it suddenly gets dirty. A year ago, Apple gave us such a gift by releasing the iPhone 7, and continued the glorious tradition of waterproof gadgets with the release of the iPhone 8 and X. But are the new smartphones so protected from water and dust? Let's find out!
I would like to start with a sad story that happened to my client the other day. After washing the iPhone 7 again under running water, the image suddenly began to shake and flicker. At first, I didn’t pay any attention to the client’s words about “I’ll go wash the iPhone, otherwise it’s dirty,” but after the screen flickered, I began to ask for details. It turned out that this “seven” periodically visits the bathroom in the hands of the client’s daughter, where he also takes water procedures... That is, he is periodically bathed in water! “But Apple advertises that they can be washed and are waterproof!” - the client complained, but no, this is not entirely true, and now we’ll figure out why!
Waterproof iPhone according to IP67 standard
In general, quite a lot of modern gadgets have some degree of dust and moisture protection. More precisely: any electronic device has a certain protection class, ranging from IP00 to IP69. For those who want to know more details about these strange numbers, you can follow the link in. And for a simple understanding, it is enough to know that the first number indicates the protection of the case from dust, and the second number indicates moisture protection. The higher the number, the more reliable the protection. So that same IP67 index stands for:
- 6 - dust cannot enter the device. Full contact protection;
- 7 - short-term immersion in water to a depth of 1 meter. Continuous submerged operation is not expected.
That is, the iPhone 7 (8 and X) can be briefly placed in a sink with water (and then quickly removed and wiped dry), but you won’t be able to swim with it in the pool. It will be more accurate, but the operation of the smartphone in this mode is not guaranteed!
But these are just numbers; the practice of using devices with water protection is much more interesting. How is such security achieved? Using sealed joints, special rubber or silicone gaskets and plugs. In relation to the iPhone, this means that:
- the SIM tray has a sealed seal around the perimeter;
- the display is tightly adjacent to the body and there is a sealant between them;
- all buttons on the case are also sealed;
- The Lightning connector is also specially protected;
All these measures are designed to provide maximum protection against short-term exposure to water on the iPhone case. Just short-term immersion, although this can damage the device. Now let's figure out why this might happen.
Why is the iPhone not sealed?
Looks like we just found out that everything is sealed and you can bathe him! Yes, but only a new device that is not exposed to external influences. And by external influences we mean everything - blows, shocks, careless handling, as well as the impact of time and simply using a smartphone. All this affects tightness connections. It was the impacts and dents on the body of that same iPhone 7 from the sad story that led to the appearance of microcracks on the body and moisture getting into the inside of the device! The photo doesn't show well, but where the tip of the screwdriver is there is a red mark, which indicates moisture has gotten on the metal.
In this particular case, liquid penetrated into the gap between the antenna and the housing, formed as a result of the fall. Yes, maybe water got into it a long time ago and in very small quantities while bathing in the bathroom and the child simply did not pay attention to small temporary distortions in the picture. But we, after the next “swimming”, noticed a shaking of the picture and began to figure out the reasons.
But you should not think that immediately after liquid gets inside the device, it will immediately fail. Not at all! When moisture gets on contacts or internal circuits, a corrosion process begins, which does not happen instantly, but can drag on for a long time, up to months! Under the influence of heat and electricity (the battery is in the device and is always connected), a process of electrochemical corrosion occurs, which leads to the destruction of contacts inside the device.
And if we are talking about something very compact, be it a smartphone or an action camera, then the layout of the internal elements is so dense that a drop of water can corrode several dozen conductors or cables. In most cases, if all internal elements are not cleaned and dried in time, large-scale rotting occurs inside the device! And as a result, the entire device fails.
So don’t be offended by a service engineer who, after inspecting an iPhone that was drowned a week ago, declares it completely dead. And there is no need to complain that this iPhone worked fine for a whole week (after it got water), but it got a little warm and only this morning it completely turned off and stopped responding to commands...
Flooded iPhones are not covered by the warranty.
And this is even written about on the Apple website and in the footnotes of any manufacturer of a smartphone with moisture and dust protection! You can see for yourself if you scroll down to the footnotes in the iPhone description or look at the screenshot:
The Apple service center employees gave me a similar comment: any liquid getting into the inside of the device is not a warranty case. In the event of such an incident, the service will offer either a replacement for the failed module (display, board, camera...), or they will replace the entire phone. Any such operation will, of course, be paid. And once again - do not be offended by the service engineer, this is his job.
If you think that Apple is so bad and deliberately abdicates responsibility for such a breakdown, then you are mistaken. There is a similar warning on the Motorola website, under the description of the Moto Z2 Play smartphone...
... and on the English-language website under the “waterproof” smartphone Moto X4!
But LG believes that a refusal of warranty service can be stated with just one phrase: “Do not conduct tests yourself.” In practice, this will mean exactly the same thing as with other companies: drowned = pay for repairs:
As we can see, smartphone manufacturers are in no hurry to please us with truly waterproof devices. More precisely, there are similar smartphones, but you are unlikely to use them with much pleasure. You can look at CAT phones - powerful, in a rubberized case, bulletproof and unsinkable in acid! But the appearance of such a smartphone screams - my owner is an extreme sportsman or a construction foreman... In general, this is special equipment, so to speak...
In addition to obviously waterproof smartphones, such as Cat, various fitness bracelets that can be left on when taking a shower or in the pool, as well as various devices in sealed cases or boxes also come to mind. Personally, I have a Xiaomi fitness bracelet on my hand and I safely immerse it in water and am not afraid for its health. But it was originally made waterproof and as airtight as possible, as well as quite durable. There are even 2 contacts on the case for charging the bracelet, but by closing them absolutely nothing happens, and therefore they can be safely immersed in water. I’m sure that I will physically break it before water gets inside :)
conclusions
Take care of your smartphones and do not expose them to the risk of water. Even a drop of rain can cause a lot of trouble, not to mention completely immersing your iPhone in a bathtub or sink full of water. And even more so, don’t be fooled by advertising videos and reviews from bloggers - this is all done solely for the sake of PR and embellishment. If you have any questions, you can write them in the comments below or in my groups in
Today my day started with a letter from one of my readers about water protection in the latest Apple smartphones. Ivan Ivanov tells how liquid got inside the iPhone 7 after a short immersion (spelling and punctuation preserved):
Needless to say, after this, the iPhone owner is very disappointed and probably feels deceived? However, in reality the situation is absolutely ordinary. On the Apple website, near the mention of water protection, there is a footnote with the following explanation:
iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus are tested in specially maintained laboratory conditions to IEC 60529 and are rated IP67 against splashes, water and dust. Resistance to splashes, water and dust is not permanent and may decrease due to normal wear and tear. Do not attempt to charge your iPhone if it has been submerged in water. Wipe and clean your iPhone according to the instructions in your user manual. Damage resulting from contact with liquid is not covered by the warranty.
The main thing to remember from this text is “resistance to splashes, water and dust is not a permanent condition and may decline with normal wear and tear.” The moment you buy a smartphone with IP67 protection, unbox it and start using it, it is truly protected from moisture and dust. However, mobile devices have a very complex design and precise fitting of parts, which is largely what ensures tightness and protection from moisture penetration. Strong impacts and falls, even from a small height, lead to changes in the geometry of the case that are invisible to the user, as a result of which the fit of the seals protecting against water may be disrupted. It seems to you that after the smartphone fell, nothing has changed and it was not damaged, but in fact, the protection from water has been significantly reduced.
Our reader says his smartphone “just fell under the tap.” In this case, the protection against water could have been compromised precisely at the moment of impact with the sink. The only advice that can be given to owners of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus is that they should not rely entirely on water protection after dropping their devices. The IP67 standard is best considered as additional protection for a smartphone in case of unforeseen circumstances, and not at all a permanent characteristic that allows you to safely use the device in water throughout its entire service life. The only way this situation can change is when manufacturers stop using sealants and can develop reliable hydrophobic coatings for all internal components. Well, for now, we advise you to adhere to a very simple rule: if your smartphone is dropped, you should not rely on maintaining protection from water.
Moisture protection is no longer a new feature in modern smartphones. Even the latest released iPhone 7 has this option and therefore, the question immediately arises - “Is it possible to shoot underwater using an iPhone 7?”
Due to the fact that the device came out quite a long time ago, people managed to do a large number of different tests. Today we’ll look into all the details of this process and whether it’s worth doing at all.
iPhone 7 - can you take pictures underwater?
Let's start with the fact that the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 PLUS have moisture protection that complies with the IP67 standard, which allows you to lower the phone to a depth of up to 1 m for as much as 30 minutes.
This means that in general this protection is aimed at getting caught in the rain or when your smartphone might fall into the pool. There is a very high chance that he will survive.
However, there is no need to abuse this. Even Apple said that water damage is not covered under warranty.
As I said, quite a lot of different tests have been done underwater and if you go to YouTube, you will find just a sea of videos on this topic.
Based on them, we draw the following conclusions about the ability to take photographs with the iPhone 7 underwater. First of all, the screen completely and completely does not respond to your presses.
But there is a way out: you can start recording video above the water and submerge your smartphone underwater. This way you can get a very cool video.
We also found a way out to take a photo. You can take pictures using the volume button. The quality of the images depends on how it turns out.
Experiments are of course good, but if you value your smartphone, then it is better not to do such actions. In any case, something may go wrong and then it will simply be impossible to restore the gadget.
conclusions
The iPhone 7 is a very modern device and water protection was simply necessary. But if you want spectacular underwater photos, I recommend taking them with cameras like GoPro.
Have pity on your phone, it was not designed for this. Perhaps the next model will be more resistant to water and will have an underwater photography function, who knows.
If the iPhone 7 fell into water or moisture got into it in some other way, do not panic and take rash actions. A person in such situations is inclined to do things, the consequences of which even a service center will not be able to prevent. We will look at actions that are worth taking and actions that absolutely cannot be taken.
If water gets into your iPhone, you should absolutely not do the following:
- No need to open your phone when stressed. If the iPhone 7 does not turn on after water, it means that moisture has reached vital parts of the phone. You need to calm down, open the phone and remove the battery. If the phone is not collapsible, use the POWER key. Very often, people in a similar situation and having picked up information from the Internet, strive to turn off the power to the phone as soon as possible. On the one hand, this seems to be correct, but, on the other hand, this is done under stress and, as a rule, a person does not realize that he also needs to be careful.
- No need to turn on the phone. Turning your phone on is a very bad idea. Now microelectronics is trying to fit as many parts as possible into as small an area as possible. Due to such accuracy, a drop of water can damage the entire block. Replacing an entire block is usually impractical.
- You should absolutely not put your phone on charge.. There are cases when a person drowns his phone, wipes it, looks at the charger and sees almost 0. Then follow the most destructive actions for the phone - he simply puts it on charge and the phone finally becomes obsolete. The force of metal corrosion, multiplied by electricity, leaves no chance.
- Don't try to dry your iPhone with a hair dryer.. If the phone is disassembled, this is quite a good way, even moreover, this is exactly what should be done. But if the phone is assembled, this method only drives moisture deeper and when turned on, it will definitely make itself felt.
- You should absolutely not put your iPhone in the microwave to dry.. Yes, yes, you heard right. Unfortunately, this is not uncommon. After such drying, as a rule, both the telephone and the oven are sent to a landfill.
What to do first if water gets into your iPhone 7:
- Disconnect it immediately. You need to remove the battery as quickly as possible or use the POWER key. Although it is not a fact that the key will function.
- After turning off the power, it is better to immerse the iPhone 7 in an absorbent medium (even rice and salt will do). It doesn’t matter what kind of absorbent it is, as long as it draws out moisture. You can gently blot the accessible areas with a napkin or other absorbent materials.
- The phone can and should be dried. If it’s the season, you can put it on the battery (if it’s not very hot and won’t damage the plastic elements). If it's not the season, then it's summer, put it in the sun.
In general, in such situations, you need to open the phone, dry the insides and remove the effects of water on your device.
Troubleshooting problems and consequences of water getting into iPhone 7
When moisture gets into the phone, oxides are formed, and they, like water, have conductive properties. Oxides can damage any component of your phone. Therefore, you need to get rid of them as quickly as possible and with the least harm to your phone. To remove oxides we need a toothbrush, 96% alcohol and a pencil eraser.
Removing oxides from iPhone 7 contacts
First, we need to disassemble the phone, first removing the SIM card and CD card. Next, disconnect all the cables from the main board and remove it. The entire board will need to be processed; sometimes oxides are invisible to the eye, but this does not mean that they are not there. We wet the brush in alcohol and carefully, without damaging the CMD components, remove the oxides. Use an eraser to clean the contact pads. Reassemble the phone in reverse order. It happens that moisture gets onto the matrix; it must be removed with the utmost care by blotting it with a napkin.
If the iPhone 7 fell into water or moisture got into it in some other way, do not panic and take rash actions. A person in such situations is inclined to do things, the consequences of which even a service center will not be able to prevent. We will look at actions that are worth taking and actions that absolutely cannot be taken.
If water gets into your iPhone, you should absolutely not do the following:
- No need to open your phone when stressed. If the iPhone 7 does not turn on after water, it means that moisture has reached vital parts of the phone. You need to calm down, open the phone and remove the battery. If the phone is not collapsible, use the POWER key. Very often, people in a similar situation and having picked up information from the Internet, strive to turn off the power to the phone as soon as possible. On the one hand, this seems to be correct, but, on the other hand, this is done under stress and, as a rule, a person does not realize that he also needs to be careful.
- No need to turn on the phone. Turning your phone on is a very bad idea. Now microelectronics is trying to fit as many parts as possible into as small an area as possible. Due to such accuracy, a drop of water can damage the entire block. Replacing an entire block is usually impractical.
- You should absolutely not put your phone on charge.. There are cases when a person drowns his phone, wipes it, looks at the charger and sees almost 0. Then follow the most destructive actions for the phone - he simply puts it on charge and the phone finally becomes obsolete. The force of metal corrosion, multiplied by electricity, leaves no chance.
- Don't try to dry your iPhone with a hair dryer.. If the phone is disassembled, this is quite a good way, even moreover, this is exactly what should be done. But if the phone is assembled, this method only drives moisture deeper and when turned on, it will definitely make itself felt.
- You should absolutely not put your iPhone in the microwave to dry.. Yes, yes, you heard right. Unfortunately, this is not uncommon. After such drying, as a rule, both the telephone and the oven are sent to a landfill.
What to do first if water gets into your iPhone 7:
- Disconnect it immediately. You need to remove the battery as quickly as possible or use the POWER key. Although it is not a fact that the key will function.
- After turning off the power, it is better to immerse the iPhone 7 in an absorbent medium (even rice and salt will do). It doesn’t matter what kind of absorbent it is, as long as it draws out moisture. You can gently blot the accessible areas with a napkin or other absorbent materials.
- The phone can and should be dried. If it’s the season, you can put it on the battery (if it’s not very hot and won’t damage the plastic elements). If it's not the season, then it's summer, put it in the sun.
In general, in such situations, you need to open the phone, dry the insides and remove the effects of water on your device.
Troubleshooting problems and consequences of water getting into iPhone 7
When moisture gets into the phone, oxides are formed, and they, like water, have conductive properties. Oxides can damage any component of your phone. Therefore, you need to get rid of them as quickly as possible and with the least harm to your phone. To remove oxides we need a toothbrush, 96% alcohol and a pencil eraser.
Removing oxides from iPhone 7 contacts
First, we need to disassemble the phone, first removing the SIM card and CD card. Next, disconnect all the cables from the main board and remove it. The entire board will need to be processed; sometimes oxides are invisible to the eye, but this does not mean that they are not there. We wet the brush in alcohol and carefully, without damaging the CMD components, remove the oxides. Use an eraser to clean the contact pads. Reassemble the phone in reverse order. It happens that moisture gets onto the matrix; it must be removed with the utmost care by blotting it with a napkin.
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