I did the unthinkable...

[magicpinkdrink]

Yesterday, while getting ready for work, my iPhone got knocked into the toilet. Yes, I know having in the bathroom is a very bad idea! Lesson learned, trust me. I thought I was being careful, it was on the counter, clear across the room from the toilet, but I accidentally dropped my hairbrush, which hit the phone at just the right angle and sent it flying. I immediately grabbed it out, ripped the case off and tried to power it down, but it was already off. After running through the house, crying, and begging for rice, my husband realized what happened and put it in a nice dish of his best white long grain. I am absolutely heartbroken. I know it is just a phone, but it was a gift from my husband, and a big tool for organizing my life. I am now back to my BB Pearl 8110, and she's a trusty phone, but not my iPhone.

My main question is how long do I leave it in the rice before I try to power it on? I pulled it out to look at today, and it looks fine other than the sensors are for sure pink, and I can see droplets of water in the camera lens. So back in the rice she went, but for how long?

And if it does end up being pronounced dead, what are my options? I've heard Apple does an out of warranty replacement for $199, which seems like my best bet. However, my husband says I should stick with the BB at least til they announce the iPhone 5. I'm really not interested in the 5, I absolutely love my 4, but he thinks I may get an early upgrade and be able to get the 5, or a new 4 (in white) for cheaper. Saving money and getting the white iPhone I always wanted tempts me to wait, but I miss having my iPhone. This BB is just not cutting it.

Any advice is appreciated. Please don't tell me how stupid I was to have it in the bathroom, like I said, lesson learned. My house now carries a strict no phones in the bathroom rule

 

[Intell]

A week, no less.

 

[eawmp1]

1+ week in the rice.

What is your upgrade status? I ask because if you are eligible for an upgrade, I'd gut it out and wait until the 5. If your upgrade is far in the future, I'd consider the $199 replacement.

 

[magicpinkdrink]

Thanks, a week was what I was planning, especially after seeing the water drops inside the camera lens this morning.

I am not eligible for an upgrade until February 2nd of next year, having gotten this one September 2nd last year. However, I am the main line, and I've heard they bump up iPhone upgrades when a new model is released. And the manager at the AT&T store i go to is usually good at pushing for upgrades for me if I need it. (Bonus of my husband working there in the past I guess).

To throw another wrench in everything, I'm not sure I want to sign another 2 year contract with AT&T as my husband just started working for Verizon, and there's been talk of switching. Don't want to spend $200 on a phone just to have to spend $200 in etf's and $200 for a new device in a couple months.

Arrrggghh can't believe I did this!

 

[IrishVixen]

1+ week in the rice.

What is your upgrade status? I ask because if you are eligible for an upgrade, I'd gut it out and wait until the 5. If your upgrade is far in the future, I'd consider the $199 replacement.

This.

Seriously, at this point, you're best off waiting to see what Apple announces. Assuming you have an upgrade available, either you end up with an iPhone 5 at the same price as you'd shell out for a out of warranty replacement 4, or if you hate the 5, you pick up a 4 at the new, post-release discounted subsidized price that they'll almost certainly be offering.

If you don't have an upgrade available to use, say, by the end of the year, then get the out of warranty replacement over with. Water damaged phones often end up with continuing problems even if they wake up after the rice trick.

Edit--our posts crossed. If you do the replacement, you won't have to sign a new contract, and you'll be able to resell it to cover an ETF.

 

[magicpinkdrink]

Well, unfortunately the rice didn't work. I can only get it to turn on if it is plugged into the wall, and then I only get the "Connect to iTunes" screen. When I try to connect it to the computer, it gets stuck in what seems to be a boot loop-I get the silver apple then it turns off, then the apple, then off.

Super heartbroken, but it's just a phone...life lesson learned. Guess I'll be doing a lot of begging and whining about my BlackBerry until the husband gives in and goes for the out-of-warranty-replacement

 

[mpossoff]

1+ week in the rice.

What is your upgrade status? I ask because if you are eligible for an upgrade, I'd gut it out and wait until the 5. If your upgrade is far in the future, I'd consider the $199 replacement.

She's out of warranty, I'm not sure if they'll replace it for $199 if she's out warranty?

 

[Aldaris]

My brother dropped in a bucket of cleaning water just last week... Could have killed him. He thought rice would do good for a day...

Stick to the rice as long as possible a week or more that others have suggested. Do not power it on thinking 'well maybe...'

He's now using my old iPhone 2G and he might have to wait till I upgrade a few months after the release of the next one.

Best of lick to you and hope your phone is alright in the end!

 

[YvonneT2]

Please help!!!

Last night I mistakenly put my ipod touch (3rd GEN) in my window sill and didn't realize there was a little pool of water there. I dried it off and waited a couple of hours. The slide to unlock wouldn't work. Then it did work. I discovered the volume didn't work, but then it did work.
So I was able to sleep.
I got up this morning and again the volume wouldn't work although I could hear the volume with the earphones.
I plugged it into my computer to charge it up and sync. It was charging up. Then I disconnected it and the slide wouldn't work again and so I decided to power it down. Now it won't power up!!

Have I done the unthinkable and flushed $300 basically down the toilet?

Have I screwed up big time? Is it worth sending it in for repair? I've had it almost two years and so I have no phone support or warranty left. I've been so careful for so long and then BANG!! A silly mistake and it wasn't even that much water! It wasn't like dropping it completely in the toilet. I'm feeling a little sick right now.

I put it in a container of brown rice for now.

 

[kicko]

You can always add a phone line to a family plan, get a new phone and then just keep that line alive for $10 a month with a dumb phone. So that way it would only be about 5 months until your contract is up on the original line.

 

[magicpinkdrink]

mpossoff- I'm actually still within my AppleCare, that doesn't run out til April 13th. The only reason my iPhone is out-of-warranty is because it went swimming, and therefore has water damage. And from my reading, water damage leaves me still eligible for the $199 replacement...looks like the only thing that voids that is if it were in multiple pieces, which thank goodness, it's not

YvonneT2- not sure how it works with iPods, but lots of people seem to have luck with their iPhones if they put them in rice for a week or so after they get water-damaged....I however, did not have luck with that

kicko- good idea, but I have a year left on my contract...the 5 months is only how long it is til I can upgrade. And I am kind of trying to avoid signing a new contract...that's kind of my last resort, as my husband now works for Verizon, so we will probably be dropping AT&T as soon as feasible

 

[Shwonx]

If you feel like being dishonest, you could always just paint your water sensors white with white out and say it's just not working?

My sensor was red from god knows what (week after getting the phone and it practically lived in it's box during the first week) but after using it for a while it was covered with lint. They checked the earpiece when I needed a replacement and I had no issues getting one.

Not saying you should do it, but it's always an option.

 

[magicpinkdrink]

Well, my husband had to work near the Apple store today, so I sent him in with my iPhone. He said he told the girl what happened and she said "Well, it will be $150 to replace" and he got disappointed cuz we don't really have the extra cash right now, and then she says "But we're going to waive that for you"! So I have a shiny new (refurb) iPhone 4!

I am now an Apple fangirl for life! What other company would do that for you? Soooo happy, and grateful right now!

 

[iArch]

Well, my husband had to work near the Apple store today, so I sent him in with my iPhone. He said he told the girl what happened and she said "Well, it will be $150 to replace" and he got disappointed cuz we don't really have the extra cash right now, and then she says "But we're going to waive that for you"! So I have a shiny new (refurb) iPhone 4!

I am now an Apple fangirl for life! What other company would do that for you? Soooo happy, and grateful right now!

Congrats! What a great outcome. I just had an equally satisfying MacBook Pro repair experience. Terrific customer service. Enjoy your new phone!