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Jumped in a pool to save my 2 year old son!

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Doctorsti

macrumors regular
Original poster
May 30, 2006
172
1
Just before getting his swimmies on my 2 year old literally walked right into a 4ft pool.... I was in and out with my son before I realized my phone was in my pocket.

I put it in a bag of rice and then hair dried it for about 5 minutes then back in the rice. Any chance this thing is OK or do I go to the Apple store and beg for a new phone/refurbished phone.

All in all my son is safe and phones are replaceable.

My wife just shattered her iphone a couple weeks back and they charged her 150 or something for a new refurbished unit. Would they do the same for me? I plan on upgrading to the 5 when it's out but can't go a month without a phone.

Any suggestions or advice from the enthusiast community?
 
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Coldsnow

macrumors regular
Apr 4, 2012
172
0
Doctorsti said:
Just before getting his swimmies on my 2 year old literally walked right into a 4ft pool.... I was in and out with my son before I realized my phone was in my pocket.

I put it in a bag of rice and then hair dried it for about 5 minutes then back in the rice. Any chance this thing is OK or do I go to the Apple store and beg for a new phone/refurbished phone.

All in all my son is safe and phones are replaceable.

My wife just shattered her iphone a couple weeks back and they charged her 150 or something for a new refurbished unit. Would they do the same for me? I plan on upgrading to the 5 when it's out but can't go a month without a phone.


Any suggestions or advice from the enthusiast community?
Click to expand...
Unless you payed the insurance for Apple care, they're not just going to hand you a new phone. Leave it completely submerged in the rice for 24-48 hrs, then take it out. Make sure the phones off.

Yes, they will give you an "Apple refurbished" (pretty much new) for the $150, as they did when I cracked my first iPhone 4.
 
D

Doctorsti

macrumors regular
Original poster
May 30, 2006
172
1
Coldsnow said:
Unless you payed the insurance Apple's not just going to hand you a new phone. Leave it completely submerged in the rice for 24-48 hrs, then take it out. Make sure the phones off.
Click to expand...

how can you tell if it's off... it's dark

I don't expect them to hand me a phone for free but my wife drops her phone after having a few drinks and gets a new phone for 150, I'd say saving my sons life should at least get me a new phone for 150!
 
C

Coldsnow

macrumors regular
Apr 4, 2012
172
0
Doctorsti said:
how can you tell if it's off... it's dark

I don't expect them to hand me a phone for free but my wife drops her phone after having a few drinks and gets a new phone for 150, I'd say saving my sons life should at least get me a new phone for 150!
Click to expand...
Yes, as I said they will give you a refurbished one for $150. Hold down the home button and power button at the same time for 5 seconds. It could turn on, then turn it off.
 
AppleDApp

AppleDApp

macrumors 68020
Jun 21, 2011
2,413
45
Leave it in rice that might save your phone. Apple will not give you a new phone. If you have Apple care plus you can get a phone for 80$ or something. How about getting a beater phone until the next iphone is out?
 
quietstormSD

quietstormSD

macrumors 65816
Mar 2, 2010
1,227
599
San Diego, CA
Oh god. Ugh... I'm sure if you told an Apple rep your story, they'd swap your phone for a refurbished one for free. If not and you don't want to spend 150 for a refurbished replacement, then just buy a cheap pre-paid phone for 10-20 dollars to hold you over for a month when the iPhone 5 comes out.

Glad your son is ok.
 
K

kevinbomb123

macrumors member
Dec 2, 2011
59
0
The second he jumped in he was probably thinking,"Oh !@#$ i have a Iphone in my pocket!"

after you jumped right in did you get right back out? because if you did put it in some washed and then dryed white rice and you may be able to save your Idevice.:(
 
D

Doctorsti

macrumors regular
Original poster
May 30, 2006
172
1
four adults within 4 ft of him, far from negligence. he must have thought he had his swimmies on and jumped. obviously the iphone was far from my mind until I pulled it out of my soaking clothes. It's in rice now so we'll see. I'm not holding hope for it so will likely go to Apple store tomorrow for a refurb.
 
A

AFDoc

Suspended
Jun 29, 2012
2,864
629
Colorado Springs USA for now
Glad all is well and they should replace it for the $150 charge if it's a 4, $199 for a 4s.

Teach your child how to swim if you're going to take him around water. My kids were in the pool and learning to float/swim at 3 months. You'd be amazed at what those little ones can do that young.
 
willmtaylor

willmtaylor

macrumors G4
Oct 31, 2009
10,314
8,198
Here(-ish)
Doctorsti said:
four adults within 4 ft of him, far from negligence. he must have thought he had his swimmies on and jumped. obviously the iphone was far from my mind until I pulled it out of my soaking clothes. It's in rice now so we'll see. I'm not holding hope for it so will likely go to Apple store tomorrow for a refurb.
Click to expand...

Glad your son is ok.

After your trip, let us know how it all worked out and mark the thread as "Resolved" for future folks with similar (albeit less traumatizing) experiences.
 
R

Redjericho

macrumors 6502a
Sep 16, 2011
815
0
Just tell them your story, and maybe... fudge the details a bit to make it seem more heroic. I doubt they'll give you a free one, but maybe a discount if you're lucky :)
 
R

robbie12345

macrumors 6502
Nov 5, 2011
400
0
United States
Something like this recently happened to me. I am on vacation and I walked into the ocean with my iPhone before I remembered it was in my pocket. Unfortunately I don't have rice or a hair drier and I wasn't close to home when it happened, so I dried it with a towel. Right now if I turn it on it has no service as in it can't find it, it keeps having the ringer notification on as if you were adjusting the ringer. But at all times.

Also it think headphones are plugged in but they aren't. It is also laggy.

What do you recommend I shud do?
 
Mac'nCheese

Mac'nCheese

Suspended
Feb 9, 2010
3,752
5,108
I'm just glad he didn't put his son in the rice and start giving his iPhone mouth to mouth. Cause that would have been silly.
On a serious note, was it a black one or a white one? Cause they handle the water differently and have different worth.
 
lordofthereef

lordofthereef

macrumors G5
Nov 29, 2011
13,161
3,720
Boston, MA
Doctorsti said:
four adults within 4 ft of him, far from negligence. he must have thought he had his swimmies on and jumped.
Click to expand...

Same exact story (three adults) when I was a kid. The lady that jumped in after me a split second before my mom is still our neighbor. From that day on, my mom didn't allow me in the pool area without the "floaties". Lesson learned. Glad the boy is ok. As has been mentioned, $150 replacement phone is Apple's standard policy, regardless of the reason of damage. I have heard people get away with less though. Girlfriend, now fiance, soon to be wife (wow that was a mouthful) ran my phone through the laundry. I explained what happened and they replaced for $100, so it does happen! Good luck!
 
Blackberryroid

Blackberryroid

macrumors 6502a
Aug 8, 2012
588
0
/private/var/vm/
quietstormSD said:
Oh god. Ugh... I'm sure if you told an Apple rep your story, they'd swap your phone for a refurbished one for free. If not and you don't want to spend 150 for a refurbished replacement, then just buy a cheap pre-paid phone for 10- to hold you over for a month when the iPhone 5 comes out.

Glad your son is ok.
Click to expand...

Not trying to be a troll or a killjoy here, but the thing is, anyone who is irresponsible, selfish and a big fat liar could say that same story to the Apple store. Besides, it's none of their business. They simply don't care, or have to care.

No offense, OP.
 
Pez555

Pez555

macrumors 68020
Apr 18, 2010
2,285
775
Blackberryroid said:
Not trying to be a troll or a killjoy here, but the thing is, anyone who is irresponsible, selfish and a big fat liar could say that same story to the Apple store. Besides, it's none of their business. They simply don't care, or have to care.

No offense, OP.
Click to expand...

people have got replacements for far less.

its worth a try OP.
 
Tom G.

Tom G.

macrumors 68020
Jun 16, 2009
2,340
1,389
Champaign/Urbana Illinois
Be polite and explain the story to them. They do have some latitude in cases. They don't have to give you a phone at a reduced price, but they may.

It wouldn't hurt to have your son with you to prove he exists, and lend credence to your story.
 
Reason077

Reason077

macrumors 68040
Aug 14, 2007
3,633
3,674
robbie12345 said:
Something like this recently happened to me. I am on vacation and I walked into the ocean with my iPhone before I remembered it was in my pocket. Unfortunately I don't have rice or a hair drier and I wasn't close to home when it happened, so I dried it with a towel. Right now if I turn it on it has no service as in it can't find it, it keeps having the ringer notification on as if you were adjusting the ringer. But at all times.

Also it think headphones are plugged in but they aren't. It is also laggy.

What do you recommend I shud do?
Click to expand...

Salt water is far worse than fresh - I'm surprised your phone works at all! Rice is unlikely to work if the phone has had salt inside it, as it corrodes anything metallic very quickly. Your best bet is to take it to an Apple store and get a refurb.
 
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