Filed under: Hardware, Apple, iPhone, ipod shuffle
Attention world: The iPhone dislikes moisture
There's a story at Click2Houston (I would have embedded the video if I had that option) about iPhone users who have had their devices ruined by excessive exposure to sweat. Specifically, they've been bringing them to the gym to provide a soundtrack to their workouts. Of course, sweat leaks into the iPhone's two moisture sensors (one in the headphone jack, one in the docking port) and it stops working. From the article:"Both [customers] Keneker and Pittman use their iPhones at the gym to listen to music or use the calorie-counting fitness applications that actually come with the phone. They said Apple employees told them their sweaty palms are the likely culprit here."
There are no calorie-counting fitness applications that "...come with the phone." Sure, you can buy them in the App Store, but they're not built in. Also, Apple just so happens to make an iPod that was designed specifically as a workout accessory and it costs less than $80US. My guess is, if you can afford an iPhone, you can swing a shuffle -- or a case that blocks the dock port, which is a pretty accessible area for moisture.
I know it sucks to have your sweet iPhone ruined, but this was completely avoidable. Plus, aren't most phones with cameras banned from gyms?
All right, folks. Perhaps I was a bit too snarky. The lesson here is twofold. First, the iPhone is quite sensitive to moisture. The water sensors are placed towards the device's extremities, so even a sweaty palm can trigger them.
Secondly, with that in mind, be careful when using the iPhone in situations that may introduce liquids. We recommend a low-cost case. --Dave.
[Via CNET]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 6)
Word Up, North Korea! said 2:07PM on 4-09-2009
Why are you making such transparent excuses for Apple, are you on the payroll?
blame the victim some more, why don't you
Reply
WindowsMonopoly said 2:17PM on 4-09-2009
I agree, Dave must be on Apple payroll.
"My guess is, if you can afford an iPhone, you can swing a shuffle " ... really?
Dave said 2:34PM on 4-09-2009
I don't think Dave is blaming the victim. I think what he is saying is that if you purchase something, the onus is on you as a consumer to take care of it. If you sweat a lot or even a little but allow that moisture to get into your electronic device, it's not the fault of the manufacturer.
There are plenty of cases that would have alleviated this alleged issue and most are reasonably priced.
cneisme said 3:16PM on 4-09-2009
You are a idiot. How is it Apple's fault if the user get moisture in the phone? It is not. It is the user's fault. The only victim here is Apple from careless people who do not take care of the things they own and expect a someone/company to take care of them.
The moisture sensor did not go off because of a defect! It went off because they owners got moisture in them! I could spend all day on how wrong and morally bankrupt your thought process is on this but I just do not want to spend the time.
It is not Apple's problem or fault.
Josh said 3:40PM on 4-09-2009
@cneisme
Personal responsibility is a rarity these days, it's easier for most people to blame the big company than admit that they made a mistake...
Raymond said 4:30PM on 4-09-2009
The shuffle has its own problems too.
A quick read on Apple Discussion Forums and you will see people complaining that the controls on the earphone will go either go crazy or stop working at all if some sweat get on it.
Ryan Trevisol said 6:38PM on 4-09-2009
Okay, like it's so out of this world to bring your phone that's also an iPod to the Gym. Way too much attack on the victim. In the meantime:
http://cgi.ebay.com/2x-Silicon-Dock-Plug-Protect-for-IPHONE-iPod-Classic_W0QQitemZ120391329995QQcmdZViewItemQQptZOther_MP3_Player_Accessories?hash=item120391329995&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2|65%3A15|39%3A1|240%3A1318
Mystic said 2:08PM on 4-09-2009
I know someone who dropped their iphone in the toilet, while it was
on, took it out, dried it in the oven and it's still working.
What's this 'stops working when moisture get on the sensors' stuff?
Reply
jfleetwood said 2:44PM on 4-09-2009
Salt vs. (reasonably) fresh water. Two totally different problems.
A matter of conductivity and corrosivity.
waiownsyou said 3:05PM on 4-09-2009
Dried it in the oven? What the hell?
Rob said 2:11PM on 4-09-2009
Wait a sec here.. The iPod Touch has the Nike+ kit built-in. I'd call that designed as a workout accessory, and it costs more than $80.
Granted, the person using their iPhone should be something to help with the sweat - there are plenty of cases out there that help with that problem.
Plus, most gyms may have a policy banning cellphones with cameras, but have you ever seen that enforced?
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who? said 2:57AM on 4-11-2009
Agree with you about the iPod touch 2g, although it seems to be better than the iPhone with moisture (I get it sweaty and it never works it's way into the jack/dock because of the tapered pointed edge design).
I have seen the no camera rule enforced though- kids get referrals and suspensions at our local schools all the time!
brett said 2:15PM on 4-09-2009
The "moisture sensor" does not de-activate the phone. It is merely a way for Apple to tell that the phone has gotten wet, in order to deny you coverage under the warranty when you take it in for service. And no, most gyms don't have policies banning phones with cameras. If they did, no one would be able to take their phone in.
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Le Big Mac said 2:36PM on 4-09-2009
More typically they ban using phones with cameras on them in the locker room--that is, keep it in your bag or purse.
Anyway, seems like if the phone is breaking because of sweat, that's not exactly the user's fault. Do these things need to be coddled that much?
MRCUR said 6:41PM on 4-09-2009
I also noticed that in the post. Getting the phone's moisture detectors to activate does not "make the phone stop working" Dave...
RUGRLN said 9:12AM on 4-10-2009
Another one of Apple's way to deny you support....that's really plain stupid..I've had so many phones before that had water in them, worked fine!
Dave Wood said 2:18PM on 4-09-2009
I once fell into a lake fully clothed, with my iPhone in my pants pocket. It got drenched as you can imagine. Still works fine, though for a few days it complained about it's charger not being designed for iPhone. After it fully dried out, everything is great.
Another friend dropped her's into a toilet. It still works fine too.
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Ryhan said 3:17PM on 4-10-2009
as said before by jfleetwood,
"Salt vs. (reasonably) fresh water. Two totally different problems.
A matter of conductivity and corrosivity."
@bradnoble said 2:19PM on 4-09-2009
The bummer is for Pandora users. Can't run it on the shuffle.
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S said 2:20PM on 4-09-2009
Electronics don't stop working when liquid sensors get wet, they stop working when circuitry gets wet. A shuffle or a nano will do the same thing if it gets wet.
Good advice would be to recommend that instead of getting a case that covers the headphone jack, people just keep their electronics dry.
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