iPhone 7 water damage?

[dmcmsn]

Hello, my first post here,
my new iPhone 7 128gb took a slip into the bath tub a few nights ago after it slipped out of my hand while trying to change Spotify playlist. So i immediately pulled it out and turned it off, took out my sim and left it to dry. Few days later (now) no signs of life at all, most i had was a white screen with visible water blobs inside it.

So, my question is, i understand the phone is not water proof but water resistant IP67, so if it was in the bathtub for no more than 5 seconds why is my phone completely dead? I've seen these phones withstand more water than a shallow bath tub. Theres also moisture in behind the camera.

Have i just been unlucky? If not then i strongly advise all of you from putting iPhone 7 anywhere near water, mine was the silver model although i doubt colour impacts water resistance.

I was on live chat to Apple i just explained the situation as it happened, and they said they'd grand an Exception provided the phone was repairable they'd 'Waive' the fee. Fair enough but the ways that was worded makes me believe they won't do anything with it.

In conclusion I'm pretty pissed, i just spent a lot of money on this phone now its totalled. Anyone have any advice or similar experiences on how to deal with this?

 

[geoff5093]

Seems like it probably got damaged during the fall. A fall from 4-5' onto a hard surface is definitely enough to break the water resistance.

 

[dmcmsn]

Seems like it probably got damaged during the fall. A fall from 4-5' onto a hard surface is definitely enough to break the water resistance.

It was less than 1 foot from my hand into the water.

 

[44267547]

Hello, my first post here,
my new iPhone 7 128gb took a fall into the bath tub a few nights ago after it slipped out of my hand while trying to change Spotify playlist. So i immediately pulled it out and turned it off, took out my sim and left it to dry. Few days later (now) no signs of life at all, most i had was a white screen with visible water blobs inside it.

So, my question is, i understand the phone is not water proof but water resistant IP67, so if it was in the bathtub for no more than 5 seconds why is my phone completely dead? I've seen these phones withstand more water than a shallow bath tub. Theres also moisture in behind the camera.

Have i just been unlucky? If not then i strongly advise all of you from putting iPhone 7 anywhere near water, mine was the silver model although i doubt colour impacts water resistance.

I was on live chat to Apple i just explained the situation as it happened, and they said they'd grand an Exception provided the phone was repairable they'd 'Waive' the fee. Fair enough but the ways that was worded makes me believe they won't do anything with it.

In conclusion I'm pretty pissed, i just spent a lot of money on this phone now its totalled. Anyone have any advice or similar experiences on how to deal with this?

So your "Pissed" at Apple because you made the error of using your iPhone around a bath tub, which fell in on your own doing? Be grateful they are assisting you at all for that matter, when they don't have to. Lesson learned.

 

[keysofanxiety]

I was on live chat to Apple i just explained the situation as it happened, and they said they'd grand an Exception provided the phone was repairable they'd 'Waive' the fee. Fair enough but the ways that was worded makes me believe they won't do anything with it.

That sounds more than reasonable and you're still upset. You could still well get it repaired for free. If you were dealing with any other manufacturer, they'd tell you exactly where to go.

Anyway: it's water resistant, not waterproof. It's always worth purchasing AppleCare – the cost for the AC will be cheaper than any non-warranty related repair anyway. The water resistance is there to help provide some reassurance if you have an accident; it's more of a safety net than a guarantee.

 

[Applejuiced]

In conclusion I'm pretty pissed, i just spent a lot of money on this phone now its totaled.

Wow, you're pretty pissed at who?
Yourself I hope for dropping your cellphone in the bath tub.
The iphone is not waterproof, its just water resistant up to a certain limit and Apple does not cover any water damage.
Be more careful with your phone next time and keep it out of the shower.
You should be thankful Apple is willing to make an exception for you and replace it free of charge.
They dont have to, its your responsibility to pay the replacement fee.

 

[geoff5093]

So your "Pissed" at Apple because you made the error of using your iPhone around a bath tub, which fell in on your own doing? Be grateful they are assisting you at all for that matter, when they don't have to. Lesson learned.

Wow, you're pretty pissed at who?
Yourself I hope for dropping your cellphone in the bath tub.
The iphone is not waterproof, its just water resistant up to a certain limit and Apple does not cover any water damage.
Be more careful with your phone next time and keep it out of the shower.
You should be thankful Apple is willing to make an exception for you and replace it free of charge.
They dont have to, its your responsibility to pay the replacement fee.

I'm with the OP here, if the drop was only from 1' into water it should not have failed because of water damage since the phone has an IP67 rating.

 

[willmtaylor]

I'm with the OP here, if the drop was only from 1' into water it should not have failed because of water damage since the phone has an IP67 rating.

IP67 doesn't cover impact with hard surfaces and Apple's warranty doesn't cover water damage. Full stop.

 

[Mlrollin91]

Unfortunately as long as Apple continue to advertise the IP67 rating these threads are going to pop up weekly. Apple really is at fault here for giving it the rating. A splash into a tub is not a realy hard impact and it definitely isn't impacting anything but water.

I'm with the OP as well. I would also be pissed. I bought the phone with a rating that it cannot withstand and Apple doesn't really seem to care about it. It's only a matter of time till class action suits are brought up. I'm a hardcore Apple loyalist. But they have really messed up with this one. I specifically bought my 7Plus for the water resistant just in case and now I know it's worthless.
[doublepost=1479850860][/doublepost]

IP67 doesn't cover impact with hard surfaces and Apple's warranty doesn't cover water damage. Full stop.

I fail to see the impact with hard surface? A one foot drop into water. Water will break the fall before it hits the tub, if it even hit the tub.

 

[simonmet]

IP67 doesn't cover impact with hard surfaces and Apple's warranty doesn't cover water damage. Full stop.

Apple markets the phone as having water resistance and IP67 has very specific conditions. This doesn't seem to be anywhere near the depth and time of immersion required to cause the damage described. The shallow drop into water shouldn't be enough to cause catastrophic loss of IP67 integrity either. In my view Apple has at least a moral obligation to assist, which they have done (in theory). In some countries it may be more than a moral obligation.

So what happened? Something about the post just doesn't seem right. Was it because the bath water was hot? Is removing the SIM when it's wet a good idea?

I'm guessing that if the bath water was very warm it may have affected the effectiveness of the sealing. But five seconds? I'm still having a hard time understanding how it's possible the phone could be permanently damaged in that time.

I'm also skeptical of such a post from a first-time poster.

 

[C DM]

Hello, my first post here,
my new iPhone 7 128gb took a slip into the bath tub a few nights ago after it slipped out of my hand while trying to change Spotify playlist. So i immediately pulled it out and turned it off, took out my sim and left it to dry. Few days later (now) no signs of life at all, most i had was a white screen with visible water blobs inside it.

So, my question is, i understand the phone is not water proof but water resistant IP67, so if it was in the bathtub for no more than 5 seconds why is my phone completely dead? I've seen these phones withstand more water than a shallow bath tub. Theres also moisture in behind the camera.

Have i just been unlucky? If not then i strongly advise all of you from putting iPhone 7 anywhere near water, mine was the silver model although i doubt colour impacts water resistance.

I was on live chat to Apple i just explained the situation as it happened, and they said they'd grand an Exception provided the phone was repairable they'd 'Waive' the fee. Fair enough but the ways that was worded makes me believe they won't do anything with it.

In conclusion I'm pretty pissed, i just spent a lot of money on this phone now its totalled. Anyone have any advice or similar experiences on how to deal with this?

This type of discussion has already happened in various threads like https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/do-not-get-your-iphone-7-wet.2004243/ and https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/my-jet-black-7-bricked-water-damage.2006929/ Not likely anything new would surface aside form all the things that were brought up and repeated throughout those threads.

 

[Applejuiced]

I'm with the OP here, if the drop was only from 1' into water it should not have failed because of water damage since the phone has an IP67 rating.

The only thing that matters is what the Apple's policy is.
Anyone can claim whatever they want, liquid damage is not covered so saying I got it a little bit wet or it dropped a little doesnt make a difference.
The company is not liable for such repairs.

 

[macTW]

I'm with the OP here, if the drop was only from 1' into water it should not have failed because of water damage since the phone has an IP67 rating.

As discussed before on other forums, a drop from one foot into water can still result in a damaging impact on porcelain... and hence damage the phone, letting in water. If the OP had SET the phone in one foot of soap-free water, and it got damged, then I would be on the OP's side. But because it was a drop, it was his fault, just like almost every poster who complains about water damage from toilets-baths-puddles-etc. that involve drops.
[doublepost=1479853854][/doublepost]

Apple markets the phone as having water resistance and IP67 has very specific conditions. This doesn't seem to be anywhere near the depth and time of immersion required to cause the damage described. The shallow drop into water shouldn't be enough to cause catastrophic loss of IP67 integrity either. In my view Apple has at least a moral obligation to assist, which they have done (in theory). In some countries it may be more than a moral obligation.

So what happened? Something about the post just doesn't seem right. Was it because the bath water was hot? Is removing the SIM when it's wet a good idea?

I'm guessing that if the bath water was very warm it may have affected the effectiveness of the sealing. But five seconds? I'm still having a hard time understanding how it's possible the phone could be permanently damaged in that time.

I'm also skeptical of such a post from a first-time poster.

Ever try dropping a quarter into a bat tub (or even worse for impacts, a toilet, as mentioned in another thread)? It's unbelievable how many people here don't believe dropping a thin device into shallow water will somehow allow the device to basically float down and not get damaged..... try it. Use a quarter, you'll see it clink bottom. A phone is much worse.
[doublepost=1479853937][/doublepost]

Unfortunately as long as Apple configured to advertise the IP67 rating these threads are going to pop up weekly. Apple really is at fault here for giving it the rating. A splash into a tub is not a realy hard impact and it definitely isn't impacting anything but water.

I'm with the OP as well. I would also be pissed. I bought the phone with a rating that it cannot withstand and Apple doesn't really seem to care about it. It's only a matter of time till class action suits are brought up. I'm a hardcore Apple loyalist. But they have really messed up with this one. I specifically bought my 7Plus for the water resistant just in case and now I know it's worthless.
[doublepost=1479850860][/doublepost]

I fail to see the impact with hard surface? A one foot drop into water. Water will break the fall before it hits the tub, if it even hit the tub.

Water won't break the fall before hitting the tub. Easy physics. Try it. You'd need two feet of water for it to work (a guesstimate, not exact).

Home experiment for anyone who doesn't think a one foot or shallower drop would result in damage. Use a quarter.

 

[ibookg409]

Hello, my first post here,
my new iPhone 7 128gb took a slip into the bath tub a few nights ago after it slipped out of my hand while trying to change Spotify playlist. So i immediately pulled it out and turned it off, took out my sim and left it to dry. Few days later (now) no signs of life at all, most i had was a white screen with visible water blobs inside it.

So, my question is, i understand the phone is not water proof but water resistant IP67, so if it was in the bathtub for no more than 5 seconds why is my phone completely dead? I've seen these phones withstand more water than a shallow bath tub. Theres also moisture in behind the camera.

Have i just been unlucky? If not then i strongly advise all of you from putting iPhone 7 anywhere near water, mine was the silver model although i doubt colour impacts water resistance.

I was on live chat to Apple i just explained the situation as it happened, and they said they'd grand an Exception provided the phone was repairable they'd 'Waive' the fee. Fair enough but the ways that was worded makes me believe they won't do anything with it.

In conclusion I'm pretty pissed, i just spent a lot of money on this phone now its totalled. Anyone have any advice or similar experiences on how to deal with this?

Apple replaced an entire motherboard on an old out out warranty iBookG4 for me for free. You may get lucky. Have them look at it. Frankly, you are at fault so give them a chance.

 

[AppleB]

One thing I learned is that a device doesn't have to pass a test up to the highest rating they receive and testing can't be done under every users environment.
Also water resistant on a iPhone isn't a permanent condition.
If a device isn't specifically made to be in water I won't take it near water no matter what the manufacturer says. Usually they use these ratings and such as a marketing tool. All companies do it to some degree.

Electronics and water and or liquids don't mix.

 

[tubeexperience]

So your "Pissed" at Apple because you made the error of using your iPhone around a bath tub, which fell in on your own doing? Be grateful they are assisting you at all for that matter, when they don't have to. Lesson learned.

He has every right to be pissed.

Apple advertised the phone as being water resistant and having IP67 rating.

If Apple has never advertised either of those features, then I would agree.

 

[44267547]

He has every right to be pissed.

Apple advertised the phone has being water resistant and having IP67 rating.

If Apple has never advertised either of those features, then I would agree.

Honestly, I'm not looking to argue over the situation. It's my opinion some should have more common sense to keep their expensive investments away from water. He made the Mistake of dropping it in the bath tub. Now he is held responsible. Fortunately for him, Apple is assisting somewhat in the repair process. Apple has their regulations and it's on him to follow through. Again, lesson learned.

 

[Mlrollin91]

Water won't break the fall before hitting the tub. Easy physics. Try it. You'd need two feet of water for it to work (a guesstimate, not exact).

Home experiment for anyone who doesn't think a one foot or shallower drop would result in damage. Use a quarter.

Except the OP did not specify how deep the water was. Only that the fall was one foot into water. The water could be 2+ feet deep for all we know.

 

[macTW]

Except the OP did not specify how deep the water was. Only that the fall was one foot into water. The water could be 2+ feet deep for all we know.

"Bath tub." 1-1.5 feet.

 

[eclipse01]

The only thing that matters is what Apple's policy is.
Anyone can claim whatever they want, liquid damage is not covered so saying I got it a little bit wet or it dropped a little doesnt make a difference.
The company is not liable for such repairs.

IMO they should not "advertise" that it is water resistant in their commercials if they arn't going to cover water damage.

 

[Mlrollin91]

"Bath tub." 1-1.5 feet.

Isn't that assuming too much? My bath tub is 2.5 feet deep from top to bottom.

 

[Hoyboy]

Honestly, I'm not looking to argue over the situation. It's my opinion some should have more common sense to keep their expensive investments away from water. He made the Mistake of dropping it in the bath tub. Now he is held responsible. Fortunately for him, Apple is assisting somewhat in the repair process. Apple has their regulations and it's on him to follow through. Again, lesson learned.

Seriously? Get off your high horse. So quick to defend a company who couldn't give two flying s**ts about you. End of the day Apple advertise it as water resistant. Based on the situation op encountered they have every right to be pi**ed with Apple. If the phone isn't up to the task of being in water for 5 seconds it shouldn't be advertised as such.

 

[Stevessvt]

Apple: IP67 rated!!!*

*IP67 rating good only if gingerly lowered in to water with the force of .0000000000000000000000121 in/lb force.

 

[Applejuiced]

IMO they should not "advertise" that it is water resistant in their commercials if they arn't going to cover water damage.

I agree.
But they don't advertise that it's guaranteed just like all other phone manufacturers.
You saw the little Wayne commercial. Samsung will not guarantee it either.
If you shorted out is on you.

 

[44267547]

Seriously? Get off your high horse. So quick to defend a company who couldn't give two flying s**ts about you. End of the day Apple advertise it as water resistant. Based on the situation op encountered they have every right to be pi**ed with Apple. If the phone isn't up to the task of being in water for 5 seconds it shouldn't be advertised as such.

I happen to think Apple cares about their customers. They have always treated me with respect and resolved any concerns I have had in the past expeditiously. They will continue to receive my business for Years to come.