iPhone 13 Can a modern iPhone take damage from ESD?

[ThatSomeone]

I was holding my iPhone(13) in my right hand as I was trying to find a light switch on a old-ish lamp in the dark with my middle finger, and it slipped off the plastic switch and onto the metal frame where it gave me a ESD shock. All my other fingers were on the (official Apple silicone) case, except for my index which was somewhat inside the mute switch cutout that's exposed on the case. And I'm not sure if it touched the actual phone frame through it.

Nothing seems to have happened to the phone and I'm pretty sure I'm just paranoid, but how likely are these ESD shocks to damage a modern iPhone in case it would've traveled into the mute switch/frame?

And this might be a little off-topic, but I'm curious in case anyone with more knowledge can answer: Did I charge the metal frame or was it the other way around? If it was the former, would there be any reason whatsoever to even worry about this?

 

[chabig]

Does the phone still work? That's all you need to know.

 

[ThatSomeone]

Does the phone still work? That's all you need to know.

Yes, but I've read that ESD can cause cumulative damage to electronics(mainly microchips) which might not appear for a while and be hard to detect.

 

[chabig]

Suppose that’s true. What would you do about it? If you can’t answer that, then don’t worry about it.

 

[Andeddu]

I was holding my iPhone(13) in my right hand as I was trying to find a light switch on a old-ish lamp in the dark with my middle finger, and it slipped off the plastic switch and onto the metal frame where it gave me a ESD shock. All my other fingers were on the (official Apple silicone) case, except for my index which was somewhat inside the mute switch cutout that's exposed on the case. And I'm not sure if it touched the actual phone frame through it.

Nothing seems to have happened to the phone and I'm pretty sure I'm just paranoid, but how likely are these ESD shocks to damage a modern iPhone in case it would've traveled into the mute switch/frame?

And this might be a little off-topic, but I'm curious in case anyone with more knowledge can answer: Did I charge the metal frame or was it the other way around? If it was the former, would there be any reason whatsoever to even worry about this?

Unsure if you are trolling but I’ll answer your question by saying that there is a zero % chance a shock that you survived from could cause damage to any electronics that you were carrying at the time.

 

[ThatSomeone]

Unsure if you are trolling but I’ll answer your question by saying that there is a zero % chance a shock that you survived from could cause damage to any electronics that you were carrying at the time.

Nope, just concerned and trying to look it up gave me conflicting information. Some saying it can cause damage with how little is required to kill a chip or circuitboard, while others claiming it's harmless.

 

[Nermal]

Modern electronics are nowhere near as sensitive as they used to be (some IBM customers may remember early PS/2s frying themselves if you so much as looked at them funny). I wouldn't worry; a shock in a residential environment is extremely unlikely to cause any damage.

 

[Andeddu]

Nope, just concerned and trying to look it up gave me conflicting information. Some saying it can cause damage with how little is required to kill a chip or circuitboard, while others claiming it's harmless.

Do not be concerned then, it’s harmless and you have nothing to worry about. You were holding the shell of your phone when you were shocked and not the bare circuitry so your phone is safe.

 

[ThatSomeone]

Modern electronics are nowhere near as sensitive as they used to be (some IBM customers may remember early PS/2s frying themselves if you so much as looked at them funny). I wouldn't worry; a shock in a residential environment is extremely unlikely to cause any damage.

I managed to fry an entire motherboard in a relatively newly built PC by just touching the USB front panel connector a few years back with ESD. Although the motherboard had somehow jumped out of its standoffs and was probably sitting on the actual chassis at the time, but the ESD event from my fingertip was enough to send it to the grave.

Do not be concerned then, it’s harmless and you have nothing to worry about. You were holding the shell of your phone when you were shocked and not the bare circuitry so your phone is safe.

Apologies if the question is very rudimentary, I just got overly concerned when it occurred and it was spewed on by the different answers I got out of searching. Does the iPhone frame/shell act as a Faraday cage then?

 

[Mikeske]

Number one the frame of the Phone will protect the electronics inside as it will act as a faraday cage. I had that happen several times being ESD shocked and holding electronics nothing happened to the electronics except for me uttering a few swear words. Of course you ask Siri that also

 

[ThatSomeone]

Of course you ask Siri that also

During the swearing?

 

[Mikeske]

During the swearing?

Yep😇