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Winter Warning: Condensation on the iPhone can damage it

L

leodavinci0

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jan 26, 2006
323
0
I thought I'd give you all a warning about keeping the iPhone out in cold temperatures with high humidity. This weekend I was out camping and accidentally left my iPhone on the bench outside. It was under a tarp, and it didn't rain, but when I woke up in the morning everything was covered with condensation, including the screen of my iPhone. It now thinks an unacceptable accessory is eternally attached to it, and the top quarter of the screen is not responsive to touch. I've since disassembled it almost completely, and have blown dry warm air on the internals for over 12 hours with no success. It is presently playing a movie (with all the pieces connected naturally) in the hopes that draining the battery completely may reset something. It's odd that condensation on the screen got around the bezel, since their is a gasket around the edge of the screen (between the bezel and screen) to keep liquid from getting down in.

I just thought I would warn you all about this, to keep in mind in case you run into similar situations.
 
JRoDDz said:
Perhaps a ziplock bag would have prevented this?
Click to expand...

If I remembered to put it in a ziplock bag, I would have remembered to put it in its watertight container I use for traveling.....

Also, I am aware of the rice in ziplock bag trick, as well as all the other tricks. Disassembly as a means of drying is quicker, and has a higher chance of success, in my opinion.
 
Thanks for the tip!

However, I would never be caught leaving my iPhone out ANYWHERE. It's attached to me at all times or next to my bed. I can't lose this thing... it's an iPhone!
 
TheSpaz said:
Thanks for the tip!

However, I would never be caught leaving my iPhone out ANYWHERE. It's attached to me at all times or next to my bed. I can't lose this thing... it's an iPhone!
Click to expand...

That's actually me too, except I was ridiculously tired, and somehow forgot I put it down out there. I don't mean to make you paranoid though. Maybe it was Freudian, a part of my brain deliberately doing it so now I am forced to get a 3GS. I just cringe at signing a 2 year with AT&T again (many bad experiences with them).
 
leodavinci0 said:
That's actually me too, except I was ridiculously tired, and somehow forgot I put it down out there. I don't mean to make you paranoid though. Maybe it was Freudian, a part of my brain deliberately doing it so now I am forced to get a 3GS. I just cringe at signing a 2 year with AT&T again (many bad experiences with them).
Click to expand...

I understand completely. I ultimately decided to cancel my iPhone contract, switch my plan to a go-phone plan with the same number, block data access, and pop that sim card into my iPhone 3G. It works like a charm. Now I'm paying hardly anything for the same service and NO CONTRACT! Woohoo!

Anyways, I'd hold off on getting the 3GS for now... you should probably wait until the next iPhone revision because the case may change and perhaps the quality will be better.... maybe not.

Or just do what I did and get on a go-phone plan.
 
leodavinci0 said:
That's actually me too, except I was ridiculously tired, and somehow forgot I put it down out there. I don't mean to make you paranoid though. Maybe it was Freudian, a part of my brain deliberately doing it so now I am forced to get a 3GS. I just cringe at signing a 2 year with AT&T again (many bad experiences with them).
Click to expand...


You could just do an out of warranty replacement to avoid signing a contract and then just wait and see what happens next summer.

Sorry about your phone :(
 
Interesting. I haven't had any winter problems since I got my iPhone last September.. Hmm. Thanks for letting us know.. and that sucks about what happened to your phone.
 
leodavinci0 said:
If I remembered to put it in a ziplock bag, I would have remembered to put it in its watertight container I use for traveling.....

Also, I am aware of the rice in ziplock bag trick, as well as all the other tricks. Disassembly as a means of drying is quicker, and has a higher chance of success, in my opinion.
Click to expand...

Actually some Silica Gel packets inside a ziplock with the iPhone would probably work. They absorb a lot more moisture than rice.
 
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