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dave8209

macrumors member
Original poster
Jul 16, 2012
82
0
Providence, RI
I live in Providence Rhode Island and its been about 10 degrees the past few days. is it bad to use my iPhone outside during this weather?
 

basesloaded190

macrumors 68030
Oct 16, 2007
2,693
5
Wisconsin
Use it as in taking it out of your pocket to text someone or leaving it out in the cold for a long period of time? If it's the former, than you should be fine.
 

madsci954

macrumors 68030
Oct 14, 2011
2,725
658
Ohio
As long as you don't leave it outside long term, it will be fine.

Side note to our European friends, 10 F or -12 C :)
 

aerok

macrumors 65816
Oct 29, 2011
1,491
139
I live in Providence Rhode Island and its been about 10 degrees the past few days. is it bad to use my iPhone outside during this weather?

You can but it drains the battery faster and also makes the LCD screen more prone to cracking.
 

AppleDApp

macrumors 68020
Jun 21, 2011
2,413
45
it is currently -20C in my city and the iphone 4 works fine. I've used it at -50C or so as well and there's no problem. The battery will probably drain faster put it's still functional.

Here are the temps according to Apple.
Operating ambient temperature: 32° to 95° F (0° to 35° C)
Nonoperating temperature: −4° to 113° F (−20° to 45° C)
Relative humidity: 5% to 95% noncondensing
Maximum operating altitude: 10,000 feet (3000 m)
 

Troneas

macrumors 65816
Oct 26, 2011
1,378
58
At the alternatives section.
iphone-clothes-red-hoodie.jpg
 

j.dstasio

macrumors 6502
Jun 9, 2009
333
10
South Jersey
You wouldn't have any long term effects from normal use in occasional cold temperatures. I wouldn't lay it out on the front porch while you shoveled the driveway or anything, but pulling it out of your pocket from time to time to use it shouldn't hurt anything. You may notice the battery draining a bit faster then normal and the screen refreshing a bit slower if the LCD itself is at a low temperature, but as far as harming the phone just using it, you should be fine.
 

Rocko1

macrumors 68020
Nov 3, 2011
2,070
4
Hmm. Cars sit out there, their CPU's are ok. ATM's are outside, they work fine. Signal lights, Signs, airplanes, helicopters.

I think you will be ok.
 

MN7119

macrumors 6502
Mar 7, 2011
486
564
Live in MN and this week we had -27C of real temp (not taking wind chill into consideration). I left my office and my iphone 5 had 68% battery. Once I got to my car outside in less than 2 minutes I saw a "low batt sign" on the iphone screen and it was now showing only 15% battery. The phone was very cold. By the time I got home and left the phone inside the battery went back to around 55% pretty fast. On the same day my wife got home and said the ipod we leave connected in the car was dead. It is plugged all the time so battery should not be an issue but I took it inside and it was back after couple minutes of being in a warm enrvironment.
 

aerok

macrumors 65816
Oct 29, 2011
1,491
139
It is currently -40 (F or C, same thing) where I am right now. My friends iPhone 4S battery died during a 30 seconds phone call, it was at 62% just before the call.
 

mrholder

macrumors regular
Jan 3, 2009
147
6
I don't live in a cold enough climate, but I've left my ipad in the car during the summer to overheat more than once. It just takes a few minutes for it to cool down and come back on. It scared me pretty bad the first time to get that warning symbol on the screen. I imagine the phone would be pretty fragile sitting in sub zero temps for awhile.
 

MN7119

macrumors 6502
Mar 7, 2011
486
564
It is currently -40 (F or C, same thing) where I am right now. My friends iPhone 4S battery died during a 30 seconds phone call, it was at 62% just before the call.

Just out of curiosity, where are you now? -40C of real temperature is brutal.
 

aerok

macrumors 65816
Oct 29, 2011
1,491
139
Just out of curiosity, where are you now? -40C of real temperature is brutal.

I'm in Montreal, Canada. The temperature is currently -13F but with the windchill, it feels like around - 38F. We've been having this brutal temperature for a few days now, usually not that cold...
 

2298754

Cancelled
Jun 21, 2010
4,890
941
I left my Note 2 and iPad in the car last night. It was like -20F outside overnight. Phone and iPad are fine.

iPhone 5 should be fine too.



CNET dipped an S3, iPhone5, and iPad into liquid nitrogen at CES. All survived!
 

617aircav

Suspended
Jul 2, 2012
3,975
818
I live in Providence Rhode Island and its been about 10 degrees the past few days. is it bad to use my iPhone outside during this weather?

That makes me laugh. I'm in fairbanks, Alaska and its going to be -40 this weekend. I spend about 20 min outside at a time fueling army helicopters. Your iphone will be fine. Is the iPhone your first cell phone.
 

TyPod

macrumors 68000
Nov 2, 2006
1,745
18
Minneapolis, MN
-17 F for reg temps walking to class where I'm from. iPhone has been fine, I just take it out of my pocket to text. Reminds I really need those iPhone friendly gloves!
 

aerok

macrumors 65816
Oct 29, 2011
1,491
139
-17 F for reg temps walking to class where I'm from. iPhone has been fine, I just take it out of my pocket to text. Reminds I really need those iPhone friendly gloves!

Ordered some cheap chinese ones online and they work wonders!
 

Raggsokk

macrumors member
Sep 19, 2012
78
0
You have nothing to worry about. I've used iPhones and other phones in -30-40 lots of times, and have experienced no problems doing so.

Of course, touch wont work great in those temperatures.
 

GoSh4rks

macrumors 6502
Sep 14, 2012
310
41
I'm in Montreal, Canada. The temperature is currently -13F but with the windchill, it feels like around - 38F. We've been having this brutal temperature for a few days now, usually not that cold...

'-38f' and '-38f after windchill' are entirely different things, especially to a phone.
 
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