iPhone and iPod: Liquid Damage And The Apple Liquid Sensors
Our Head of Technical Hardware, Kevin Carter, who also happens to be the Lead Technical Editor for DxO Optics (see here – DPreview use this data for their camera/lens reviews), as well as a freelance Editor for the British Journal of Photography amongst many others, is currently taking a look at a select number of ‘waterproof’ smartphones. He forwarded to me an interesting article on Apple’s website regarding their liquid damage warranty.
It’s very interesting and something that I wasn’t aware of, although I am sure, as you are all aware that Apple do not give a liquid damage warranty, what you may not be aware of is the way they can detect if the device has received liquid damage. Apple have installed liquid sensors within their devices and these change colour and become activated if it becomes wet.
When Kevin’s article is published I will post a link and more will be revealed… stay tuned for that.
Take a look at the graphics below and you will see where the sensors are located – to read more about this, go to the Apple support page, here – it’s very interesting…
*Note: iPod nano (7th generation) and iPod touch (5th generation) do not have a visible liquid contact indicator.
Joanne Carter
Joanne Carter, creator of the world’s most popular mobile photography and art website— TheAppWhisperer.com— TheAppWhisperer platform has been a pivotal cyberspace for mobile artists of all abilities to learn about, to explore, to celebrate and to share mobile artworks. Joanne’s compassion, inclusivity, and humility are hallmarks in all that she does, and is particularly evident in the platform she has built. In her words, “We all have the potential to remove ourselves from the centre of any circle and to expand a sphere of compassion outward; to include everyone interested in mobile art, ensuring every artist is within reach”, she has said. Promotion of mobile artists and the art form as a primary medium in today’s art world, has become her life’s focus. She has presented lectures bolstering mobile artists and their art from as far away as the Museum of Art in Seoul, South Korea to closer to her home in the UK at Focus on Imaging. Her experience as a jurist for mobile art competitions includes: Portugal, Canada, US, S Korea, UK and Italy. And her travels pioneering the breadth of mobile art includes key events in: Frankfurt, Naples, Amalfi Coast, Paris, Brazil, London. Pioneering the world’s first mobile art online gallery - TheAppWhispererPrintSales.com has extended her reach even further, shipping from London, UK to clients in the US, Europe and The Far East to a global group of collectors looking for exclusive art to hang in their homes and offices. The online gallery specialises in prints for discerning collectors of unique, previously unseen signed limited edition art. Her journey towards becoming The App Whisperer, includes (but is not limited to) working for a paparazzi photo agency for several years and as a deputy editor for a photo print magazine. Her own freelance photographic journalistic work is also widely acclaimed. She has been published extensively both within the UK and the US in national and international titles. These include The Times, The Sunday Times, The Guardian, Popular Photography & Imaging, dpreview, NikonPro, Which? and more recently with the BBC as a Contributor, Columnist at Vogue Italia and Contributing Editor at LensCulture. Her professional photography has also been widely exhibited throughout Europe, including Italy, Portugal and the UK. She is currently writing several books, all related to mobile art and is always open to requests for new commissions for either writing or photography projects or a combination of both. Please contact her at: [email protected]
3 Comments
Fabio D'Andrea
Genius bar employees check these sensors (with a special lens) everytime you bring the iPhone for help and/or support to their desks.
Even Sony has a similar warranty limitations on the waperproof (!) Xperia Z:
“In compliance with IP5/7 and IP5X, Xperia Z is protected against the ingress of dust and is water resistant. Provided that all ports and covers are firmly closed, the phone is (i) protected against low pressure jets of water from all practicable directions in compliance with IP 55; and/or (ii) can be kept under 1 metre of freshwater for up to 30 minutes in compliance with IP 57. The phone is not designed to float or work submerged underwater outside the IP55 or IP57 classification range and should not be exposed to any liquid chemicals. If liquid detection is triggered on the handset or battery, your warranty will be void.”
I have a 2 months old Xperia Z and the charging/USB port cover sometimes opens by itself.
What happens if one of the covers starts leaking due to being old and losing its rubber seal’s tightness?
Joanne Carter
I understand Fabio, I think if the seal deteriorates or if there’s any grit caught it in it, which prevents a complete seal, then you’ll be in trouble really.
Fabio D'Andrea
I agree with you Joanne!! I got the Xperia Z just because of that and just to try one of the latest Android smartphone on the market….. and I have to add that the quality of the camera really sucks…. but this is another story.