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Add this to the list of features I simply could not care about. Everything with Apple products these days are gimmicks, not advancements.
Smartphones are close to perfect since years. There won't be big advancements or can you think of a real one that definitely is no gimmick?
 
I don't see it as a lack of honesty, water resistance does not equal water proof and there is no way of determining if water ingress was due to abuse.

Apple doesn't test every unit, if they did many would fail without leaving the factory. They only test few units every XXXX units. Now those OBJECTIVLE defective units find their way into people hands and fail simple glass of water, kitchen sink, toilet or shallow Alaska river test (river that doesn't even cover damn salmon fully). I really fail to see how it's my fault or abuse.

People try to abuse lots of things I have no doubts, but so do companies.
 
Apple doesn't test every unit, if they did many would fail without leaving the factory. They only test few units every XXXX units. Now those OBJECTIVLE defective units find their way into people hands and fail simple glass of water, kitchen sink, toilet or shallow Alaska river test (river that doesn't even cover damn salmon fully). I really fail to see how it's my fault or abuse.

People try to abuse lots of things I have no doubts, but so do companies.
The last sentence is why I can see companies' stance on this. Bottom line is don't get your phone wet.
 
It can be submerged as stated in by the rating in depth of 0.15 to 1.0 meters for 30 minutes or less and should be fine (at least when it's still brand new and has not been used in extreme environments). But many units fail a glass of water test

But Apple don't claim waterproof, they claim water resistant. I don't see how it's their fault.
 
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This is not the issue. The issue is lack of honesty. From all parties involved.

Did you read the statement from Apple or just pulling your comment from somewhere else?

At least there's no hidden agenda or dishonesty on Apple's part.

https://www.apple.com/iphone-7/
From the Apple site:

"
  1. iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus are splash, water, and dust resistant and were tested under controlled laboratory conditions with a rating of IP67 under IEC standard 60529. Splash, water, and dust resistance are not permanent conditions and resistance might decrease as a result of normal wear. Do not attempt to charge a wet iPhone; refer to the user guide for cleaning and drying instructions. Liquid damage not covered under warranty."


As an added comparison I searched the Samsung Galaxy 7 website and while they explain the water restistant standard and how to care for the device if it gets wet they do not make any claims or warranty for water.

http://www.samsung.com/us/support/s...d_mdl_cd=SM-G935UZSAXAA&prd_mdl_name=SM-G935U

"(h) defects or damage resulting from external causes such as collision with an object, fire, flooding, dirt, windstorm, lightning, earthquake, exposure to weather conditions, theft, blown fuse, or improper use of any electrical source;

BTW Samsung's warranty info is far harder to find than Apple's
 
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Does it mean that they will get rid of the lightning port now?

Although this was probably in jest, I wonder if they will and move to USB-C. If there was some real advantage to using the lightning port I could see them hanging onto it but it is proprietary, not commonly accepted on other devices, and even in Apple's own universe requires a USB to Lightning cable to plug into an Apple computer. Why did Apple originally adopt it, as there seems to be nothing you can do with it that other interfaces can't do as well.
You obviously thought this ad was solely about the speakers.


Hmmm in a world of imagery did you miss something here?

or maybe this one?



And the iPhone offered a water resistant phone a mere 3 years after Samsung and other manufacturers offered it. And last year Samsung (and probably other Android phones) offered IP68 rated phones, which is better water-proofing than the iPhones IP67.

If you are going to hype a feature on your product it's not usually a good idea to highlight one that your competitor not only already has but they already have one that is better.

Until the iPhone meets or exceeds competing phones, mention it has a waterproof rating and move on to features where the iphone is superior to other brands.
 
You obviously thought this ad was solely about the speakers.


Hmmm in a world of imagery did you miss something here?

or maybe this one?

Sony had water resistance since 2013 . There is NOTHING innovative about it.In fact there is absolutely nothing about the current iPhone which is innovative
 
Sony had water resistance since 2013 . There is NOTHING innovative about it.In fact there is absolutely nothing about the current iPhone which is innovative

The term "innovate" has been misinterpreted by many, including people in this thread.

To innovate, by definition, is to "make changes in something established, especially by introducing new methods, ideas, or products."

So if I were to add a bullhorn to an iphone, that would still be innovative (for the iphone), even if the bullhorn has been around for decades. The new product doesn't have to be new and and of itself. Bread has been around. Peanut butter has been around. Jelly has been around. When someone put them all together to make a PB&J sandwich, it was innovation.

The problem is people expect and assume "innovation" to be something you've never seen before anywhere else, which is flatly wrong. It's not society's fault that the grasp of the english language is poor -- it is still innovation.
 
Sony had water resistance since 2013 . There is NOTHING innovative about it.In fact there is absolutely nothing about the current iPhone which is innovative

Please list what you would think would be innovative, instead of a generic put down statement:

Wireless charging - done , OLED screen done, dual camera lenses - done, faster processors - done, fingerprint technology - done, sharper displays - done, more GB - done, voice command - done etc.etc. etc.

Since you probably can't , at least learn or admit that after 10 years of using smart phones ALL smart phones and this entire product segment is so matured that any advance will be minute for future upgrades.

All of what we will see has been done somehow, and not always well. Much of what will be next will come from improving technology when that is ready for prime time.

At one point we have to ask: Just how much do we expect a phone (it still is) to do?

These are amazing devices!

I do not own the iPhone 7 , as I refuse to upgrade and spec hunt within a certain time span.
Went from a 4S to a 6S Plus and that only because my 4S fell into a vat of alcohol (btw: it still works , but display is delaminated in some areas under the glass) iOS upgrades and my eyes needed a larger display.

There is NOTHING I am missing right now in my iPhone 6S Plus.

It would be refreshing to every once in a while see an opinion praising todays technical accomplishments,
instead of the "you owe me entitlement attitude" many young people display on all the forums.

I am 65 and have seen a lot of bad things.

Just being happy with what one has and works seems to be a lost art.
 
Sony had water resistance since 2013 . There is NOTHING innovative about it.In fact there is absolutely nothing about the current iPhone which is innovative

Sorry but the poster said Apple had nothing to promote and yet here they are cleverly promoting the water resistence of their products.

You guys are just looking for excuses to bash Apple.

The devices work well, it's that simple.

Too bad Samsung didn't make the same clever ad then in 13'

Let me requote the poster's comment:

"Water resistance is not a feature that Apple can use to promote innovation with their phones."

It's a new/innovative feature for iPhone purchasers and make the phone more valuable for many.

Personally I still use the 6 (not s) because the latest features are not worth the upgrade to me, but for others the water "resistant" feature may be the one that caused them to buy the 7.

Get over yourself and the seemingly hate for Apple.
 
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This whole "water resistance" is meaningless if Apple will not stand by their product and replace it because of water damage, in my opinion. Until they do that, I won't be testing out the water resistance.
No, it isn't. If it makes it less likely you're going to get water damage and need a new phone, it's far from meaningless.
 
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Sony had water resistance since 2013 . There is NOTHING innovative about it.In fact there is absolutely nothing about the current iPhone which is innovative
Water resistant devices, like watches, have been around for decades, so let's eliminate that in smartphones as an innovation. But the dual camera lens, SOC, wide gamut display where displaymate coined it the most accurate display ever, new bokeh and zoom function tied to the new camera lens. The preceding has not been in any phone the way apple implemented it. (yes another manufacturer released a dual lens after rumor outed the iphone dual lens), There's more but your point has already been disproved.

It doesn't matter if you personally don't find that list innovative.
[doublepost=1484422901][/doublepost]
Although this was probably in jest, I wonder if they will and move to USB-C. If there was some real advantage to using the lightning port I could see them hanging onto it but it is proprietary, not commonly accepted on other devices, and even in Apple's own universe requires a USB to Lightning cable to plug into an Apple computer. Why did Apple originally adopt it, as there seems to be nothing you can do with it that other interfaces can't do as well.



And the iPhone offered a water resistant phone a mere 3 years after Samsung and other manufacturers offered it. And last year Samsung (and probably other Android phones) offered IP68 rated phones, which is better water-proofing than the iPhones IP67.

If you are going to hype a feature on your product it's not usually a good idea to highlight one that your competitor not only already has but they already have one that is better.

Until the iPhone meets or exceeds competing phones, mention it has a waterproof rating and move on to features where the iphone is superior to other brands.
Well according to this "untrusted" video, specs on a spec sheet aren't everything.

 
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I haven't read the entire thread, but there are people complaining about an increased water resistance? Like the phone will be more water resistant than it is now? And that is bad because?
 
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When you have a marketed feature that consistently under performs the specification it's a gimmick at best and bordering on fraud at worst. If not covered by warranty it's an expensive gamble.

Second digit: Liquid ingress protection
The second digit indicates the level of protection that the enclosure provides against harmful ingress of water.

IPx7


Immersion, up to 1 m depth

Ingress of water in harmful quantity shall not be possible when the enclosure is immersed in water under defined conditions of pressure and time (up to 1 m of submersion).

Test duration: 30 minutes - ref IEC 60529, table 8.

Tested with the lowest point of the enclosure 1000 mm below the surface of the water, or the highest point 150 mm below the surface, whichever is deeper.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/iphone-7-water-resist-i-am-verry-verry-disapointed.2018610/

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/iphone-7-water-damage.2017009/

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/my-jet-black-7-bricked-water-damage.2006929/

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/do-not-get-your-iphone-7-wet.2004243/

https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...ef-swim-and-speakers-now-sound-awful.2001098/
 
Water resistant devices, like watches, have been around for decades, so let's eliminate that in smartphones as an innovation. But the dual camera lens, SOC, wide gamut display where displaymate coined it the most accurate display ever, new bokeh and zoom function tied to the new camera lens. The preceding has not been in any phone the way apple implemented it. (yes another manufacturer released a dual lens after rumor outed the iphone dual lens), There's more but your point has already been disproved.

It doesn't matter if you personally don't find that list innovative.
[doublepost=1484422901][/doublepost]
Well according to this "untrusted" video, specs on a spec sheet aren't everything.


Why eliminate that as an innovation, are watches now smartphones dealing with the same prorblem? Good grief.

So, if I make a mass market submersible car, it won't be innovation because submarines exist (or special built million dollar submersible cars exists)?

As someone said before, I think many don't actually know what innovates mean.

A smartphone has a microphone, a port for charging, speakers, various buttons, a port for data, a large screen with a wide joint around it, a large joint were front and back surfaces meet, ports for barometric sensors, an opening for the camera, and a large frame inherently more flexible than a watch and its full of very small electronics sensitive to water that still needs to be serviceable!

Making a mass market phone as waterproof as the current Apple Watch WOULD BE INNOVATION.
 
I just think it should be noted that other manufactures achieved this YEARS ahead of apple. That is all
 
Why eliminate that as an innovation, are watches now smartphones dealing with the same prorblem? Good grief.

So, if I make a mass market submersible car, it won't be innovation because submarines exist (or special built million dollar submersible cars exists)?

As someone said before, I think many don't actually know what innovates mean.

A smartphone has a microphone, a port for charging, speakers, various buttons, a port for data, a large screen with a wide joint around it, a large joint were front and back surfaces meet, ports for barometric sensors, an opening for the camera, and a large frame inherently more flexible than a watch and its full of very small electronics sensitive to water that still needs to be serviceable!

Making a mass market phone as waterproof as the current Apple Watch WOULD BE INNOVATION.
Water resistance (actually water proofing) for personal devices like watches have been around for decades. I'm surprised it took Apple this long to add it, waterproofing or water resistance, is not an innovation in and of itself, imo but it certainly is welcome on smartphones given they can be used in hostile environments.
 
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Water damage is water damage -- the phone won't magically tell Apple "I got hurt because I went in deeper than 1m, so don't cover me!"

Why not?

The barometer tells them how many steps you climbed. Water pressure is very linear, and there's no need to be strict about the cutoff: warranty to less than the certified depth for a reasonable time, then reject based on acceptable claim rates. Customers are happy, Apple scores points with an industry first and even gets a bunch of much better real-world data to use for improvements, cost cutting and postlaunch QA. Win-win.

You're talking about $500+ devices here, Apple isn't going to eat the cost of every joker who goes deep-sea diving with their phones beyond spec.

There aren't that many jokers like that, and a cheap (when mass produced) MEMS burst-disc valve can tell you if there was substantial overpressure, a function similar to the water damage indicator. Or go with the barometer. Then reject out of spec damage based on acceptable claim rates, again. Stick something in the water indicator compound to flag ion levels in the water to do the same for salts, acids and the like. Then, just for giggles and profit, include a reservation against repeat claims on similar damages, series of claims on different damages, and intentional tests of durability (i.e. good faith claims only).

Or, you know, fix it when necessary with a "subject to change" clause from the get-go and start off with just the claims rate limiting. I doubt they'll need to clamp down even once if their QA is decent.

I still don't want to take my phone outside in the rain but hell, I admit I'm damn comforted by the idea that if I did, I should be fine.

If there were some reasonable indication of what it can take, i.e. what they will cover if it doesn't, I'd be comforted. Right now, I'm just seeing an increase from one unknown quantity to another. If only we had some way to make it clear what my expectation should be, like, maybe a certification level. That would be nice. </s> And a selling point of note.

Where I live, the reasonable expectations of the consumers are rule of law in effect, and the burden of proof when rejecting a claim is on Apple. I don't have this phone, preferring the size of the SE, but let's say I did. So I take it for a dive and it dies. I hand it to Apple, say it was out in the rain, cross my heart and all that. Per your argument, they can't tell the difference, so they just have to pay up. (If they did have a barometer in the phone, as they do, and used it, as they apparently don't, they could just show that, or point out that the GPS indicated I lost the signal at sea after it progressively weakened as I descended below sea level.)

And yet, despite these generous consumer protection laws, there aren't a ton of claims being made... and Apple generally just pays up with a smile, leans back and "watches the zeroes pile up behind a meaningless figure", one that is bolstered by this confidence in proper customer service and warranty coverage.

This is one of those times where they should ask "why" and "why not" and just go with "courage", IMO.

I'm not gonna complain that they don't- got no horse in the race- just noting there's a win to be had here.
 
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Why not?

The barometer tells them how many steps you climbed. Water pressure is very linear, and there's no need to be strict about the cutoff: warranty to less than the certified depth for a reasonable time, then reject based on acceptable claim rates. Customers are happy, Apple scores points with an industry first and even gets a bunch of much better real-world data to use for improvements, cost cutting and postlaunch QA. Win-win.

Because once it's broken it's broken. iphones do not have "little black boxes". You're assuming that a phone that's broken by water damage is a viable phone.

And lets assume that it did have this. You'd have to assume that your phone is actively measuring and recording water pressure at any moment in time, for all time? Really... you want this, for "protection"? Privacy advocates (or battery-life fanatics) would hunt you down in your sleep over this.

Also it's the basic liability problem. You might WANT these things, but the moment anyone crosses the line, it doesn't matter. GoPro doesn't warantee against water damage, because they can't account for user stupidity. Same deal here -- no matter how good you might be, or how good your argument might be, someone will open up the SIM tray, dunk the phone, and claim Apple sucks.

No, it really doesn't matter. And no matter what, like I said before, Apple is completely average in this area. No one is guaranteeing their phone as waterproof, under a warranty. Even when you go beyond the phone market, it's very similar as well (GoPro).

The real win-win here is when people realize that water-resistance just adds to the durability of your device and stop sweating over the legalities of the issues. The iPhones have always sold great with zero water resistance, nothing really changed, there is no problem to solve here.
 
I'm not sure how that could work inside a sealed phone.
Good point. If it was leaking then it's not 100% sealed, would that be enough for a sensor, doesn't sound like it when i think about it?
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I've never needed any sort of waterproofing personally. While it may be of use to some, waterproofing itself on a phone is more of a gimmick in my mind...just the same as the crazy obsession of thinness over battery life or real features. The amount of time and manpower they spend on this could be redirected to something more useful...say...new Macs???
I'd hazard a guess that waterproofing is welcomed by most of the population.
I know that when I am cleaning the pool if I make a misstep and fall in my phone will survive.
I know that is I have shorts on with shallow pockets, my phone won't take a dunk in the loo.
I can take pictures of my kids in the pools without worrying.
And so on, at the beach etc... no sand or water to worry about
 
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