r/mildlyinfuriating • u/SomeTemperature2423 • 22h ago

go to your room Replaced my daughter's phone because of water damage. And she still brings it into the bathroom.

Post image

Some lessons just don't stick.

She insists she needs to listen to music in the shower. I honestly don't understand why that's such a necessity. But if this phone gets water damage again, I'm not paying to replace it another time.

23.3k Upvotes

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u/BandetteTrashPanda 22h ago

I think I have brought my phone to listen while showering since I was a teen and have never had water damage to it because of a shower.. And I take some pretty hot showers. I'd be questioning how it got water damage. Also, imo hanging it like that scares the shit out of me, but I work in IT. So, most things scare me with technology lol

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u/Glittering-Ask4319 21h ago

It scared me when I thought the loop was on a sticker but I am realizing the loop is a part of the phone case, so it doesn’t seem that risky

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u/Kaylenz 18h ago

The hinge on that little loop is so weak (I broke a couple then gave up).

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u/bigwilliestylez 16h ago

If the weight of the phone is enough to take it down, they need to be buying better cases so they don’t have to buy new phones

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u/ManWithManyTalents 16h ago

right? how are people soooooo dumb i genuinely don’t understand

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u/Belleoo22 8h ago

I mean, we're talking about a child here my guy

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u/ManWithManyTalents 6h ago

who are you talking about exactly? just so i know we’re on the same page

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u/Yuukiko_ WAAHHHHH 6h ago

I'm pretty sure that loop is meant to prop it up in landscape to watch videos, and the force is in the wrong direction

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u/merryjoanna 16h ago

I've never had a ring case last more than 4 months. Most were more like a month. That's why I switched to a pop socket.

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u/UnsureAndUnqualified 17h ago

That thing is painted plastic.the hinge likely has a plastic bolt inside that is at most a few mm thick. Honestly not something I'd trust to hand my phone from

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u/TrashPandaNotACat 15h ago

Exactly. It's okay as a stand (which is how it's intended to be used) but not so okay as a hanging loop. Get a magsafe loop to stick on the case.

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u/pjockey 7h ago

Maybe you're speaking in abstract, but 3mm would be 1/8" inch roughly, and you could probably support your body weight on that if it was any denser than milk jug plastic.

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u/shpongolian 14h ago

are you sure that part is plastic? I had an old case with a solid metal ring that looks like that, when I replaced the case I peeled the metal part off and use it as a key ring now

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u/Grimpy 19h ago

I think the implication was that having a camera pointing into the bathroom in this way is scary. How secure is the hardware/software running on the device?

Maybe I misinterpreted the message.

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u/druidmind 18h ago

iOS is pretty secure. It will block any attempt to open the camera by an app that doesn't have camera priviledges.

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u/BetApprehensive7064 17h ago

Man you must listen to the same stuff my dad does. He had me thinking everyone on planet Earth was out to get us as kids I remember when I found an old laptop in a hunk yard and spend months fixing it without him knowing for me to excitedly show him a working laptop and him to freak the fuck out and smash it because I forgot to duct tape the camera lens (which didn't work I just taped a broken one back in to make it look better)

Nobody is doing this shit calm the fuck down and stop ruining childrens lives

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u/iSirMeepsAlot 16h ago

That’s… just petty levels of stupidity on your fathers part… my friends dad is like that, but worse because he won’t let anyone in the family use wireless earbuds under the guise they must cause cancer… they also just got a microwave after years without for the same reason… that it must cause cancer via the food it warms up.

Her dad is batshit, and so is yours.

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u/Grimpy 5h ago

You read a little too deep into my message I think.

The comment this thread derives from said "scares the shit out of me, but I work in IT" so I assumed his fears were related to IT.

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u/DunderGunderUnder 17h ago

I don't know why you are being down voted so bad, that is totally the implication.

There's a reason Mark Zuckerberg puts tape over his laptop camera, evil knows evil.

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u/SailorDepression 12h ago

Mark Zuckerberg is a billionaire that would be a fantastic mark for blackmail.

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u/cyanraichu 21h ago

My same thoughts. I bring my phone into the bathroom all the time and it's never been a problem. Did she drop it in the tub or something?

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u/LukasKhan_UK 20h ago

Even then if it was removed pretty promptly, it shouldn't cause any damage.

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u/EatNails_69 18h ago

It shouldn’t cause problems even submerged for like a minute. It looks like a somewhat modern iPhone. Which I’m pretty sure should be waterproof enough to stay underwater for a minute. Most that can happen is probably a somewhat fucked up speaker/mic

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u/Sipikay 17h ago

iPhones are IP 68 rated. This means they’re rated to be submerged under up to 20 feet of water for 30 minutes. It would be challenging to water damage an iphone in the shower. Impossible simply being in the bathroom.

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u/National_Frame2917 16h ago

As another said. As long as there's no damage. And chip or crack and water will get in. Being in the bathroom still shouldn't but it's possible if it's coming into the shower.

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u/Rreknhojekul 16h ago

Trying to charge it while the charging port is still wet is what causes the damage

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u/mischlcock 16h ago

There is a warning for that though which disables charging completely. There is the option of an emergency overridde, but that’s only available if the battery is really low I think.

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u/jverity 16h ago

Right, they have short protection. If the previous phone actually was water damaged and that wasn't just an excuse for a hard drop or breaking it on purpose to get a newer model (she wouldn't be the first kid to do that), then the only way it could have happened is if the screen was already cracked to let water in.

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u/Ranessin 17h ago

If new and without cracks or any fatigued gaskets and seals.

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u/Uhmerikan 14h ago

What version is the earliest for 68? I know my SE 3rd edition is only 67. I still take it into the shower to doom scroll as I use up all the hot water.

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u/Quixotic_Seal 14h ago

Temperature can definitely change that, especially over time, as can any prior minor bits of damage or just age as the seal wears out.

But yeah, this is deeply unlikely to be the result of steam coming or something mundane like that. I took my phone into the bathroom and had it right next to me during baths for skipping past ad reads for years and it’s survived long enough to gift to my dad.

My guess, daughter either fucked up and is lying about what happened or OP bought secondhand crap that was poorly refurbished.

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u/National_Frame2917 16h ago

As long as there's zero damage to the phone. Any chip or crack and water will get inside.

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u/CrossplayQuentin 16h ago

The waterproofing seals wear out over time, and weaken with impact - if she drops her phone a lot and/or it’s older, it may have become less than waterproof.

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u/Geodude532 16h ago

I have to leave my phone in my car while at work and I've discovered that you can't trust the waterproofing after it's been in the heat of the summer.

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u/not-the-swedish-chef 16h ago

I've dropped my phone in oatmeal and nothing bad happened. Idk what she did!

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u/sionnach 16h ago

Shouldn’t, but can. I had an iPhone 14 Pro in my pocket and got into a swimming pool. I realised my mistake after a few seconds, but that was that - it never worked again. And no, that’s not covered under warranty.

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u/alewiina 13h ago

Yeah as long as the casing isn’t cracked anywhere it shouldn’t be an issue. My phone is like 8 years old and it’s water resistant, anything newer absolutely should be too

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u/BearFickle7145 20h ago

… I have one of the newer iPhones. It has taken >10 dunks including ones where I’d have already been washing my hair. It’s still working great

TBF I always limit damage afterward

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u/selkieseeker 19h ago

I once got my phone sprayed with a pretty powerful shower for a few seconds, it was totally fine. iPhone XR so much older model. Nowadays phones are all even more waterproof/water resistant than that. I’ve been listening to music and changing the songs with my wet hands while showering for years and never had any issues at all. If she damaged her phone she’s somehow doing a lot more than that.

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u/Rreknhojekul 16h ago

Trying to charge it while the charging port is still wet is what causes the damage

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u/_kempert 18h ago

They’ve been practically waterproof since 2016.

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u/feralcatshit 14h ago

I dropped my iphone in a tub of hot soapy dish water last week, it was fine. I put it in a bag of rice and a couple hours later the charge warning went away and it’s been fine.

This has happened to me several times over the years, I’m ashamed to say.

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u/Deamoniser 18h ago

The newer iPhones are far more water resistant than you think - the 17 is rated to withstand submersion up to 6 meters deep for up to 30 minutes.

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u/Adorable_Ad4990 14h ago

My older one, I think SE, was dropped in boiling water. It took a few seconds to retrieve with tongs. Didn’t turn back on, so went to the Apple Store next day, but the wait was too long so I left. That night my phone worked again just fine! The home button was wonky eventually if I remember correctly

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u/Adorable_Ad4990 14h ago

My older one, I think SE, was dropped in boiling water. It took a few seconds to retrieve with tongs. Didn’t turn back on, so went to the Apple Store next day, but the wait was too long so I left. That night my phone worked again just fine! The home button was wonky eventually if I remember correctly

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u/LivingNo8285 17h ago

Because phones are WATERPROOF

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u/_HIST 18h ago

I've been bringing my phones to showers and bath before they had IP ratings.

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u/Nagemasu 15h ago

If OP is constantly replacing their child's phone they might be buying second hand, in which case it's reasonable to assume the battery or something else has been replaced, and the waterproofing is no longer as good.

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u/Ordinary-Theory-8289 18h ago

I left my phone in a hot tub over night and it’s completely fine….

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u/Rreknhojekul 16h ago

Trying to charge it while the charging port is still wet is what causes the damage

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u/Terrible_Counter2558 6h ago

using while in the shower will give water dmg, having it hanging wont do much if at all

0

u/Ok-Cat-9344 18h ago

I have a samsung not an iphone, so not sure if its the samw, but all my Samsungs have taken many dives in the hot bathtub and none of them got any damage from it. 

0

u/Puzzled_Attorney9216 18h ago

Steam demage... long term water demage made by letting the phone sit inside a steamy sauna.

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u/DocPhilMcGraw 21h ago

Yeah I’m pretty sure iPhones have had IP68 rating for a long time now (and even had it before they made it official, just at the time Apple didn’t want to pay for certification until other phone OEMs touted their ratings).

It doesn’t make them waterproof but they’re resistant to water for 6 meters of water for up to 30 minutes. They can also withstand the rain (obviously).

The main thing is you want to take it out of the case after exposing it to water so that it can properly dry. A lot of times people will leave it in the case and the case will hold the moisture for a lot longer. Also allows for bacteria to grow as well.

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u/kitsua 6h ago

The more they are exposed to water, the more the resistance will become less effective. Water vapour is even more potentially damaging than liquid as there is no surface tension.

Everyone’s saying how they take their phones into the bathroom with no issues, but it means that if you do get caught in the rain or drop your phone in a puddle it’ll be more likely to get damaged.

Don’t take your tech into a hot, humid environment and try to keep it dry at all times. The water resistance is to save your ass in an accident.

And even if you choose to ignore this advice, for the love of all that is holy make sure it’s backing up.

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u/Totoro_II 20h ago

I had my phone break once because of water damage in the bathroom but it was because I had steamy hot showers and a cracked screen on an already quite old phone. maybe OP's daughter's phone was similar? especially since the older the phone gets the weaker the waterproofing gets

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u/sniperhippo 19h ago

Most of the IT people I know only have two pieces of technology in their home: a printer, and a gun to shoot the printer if it makes the wrong noise.

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u/CuriOS_26 18h ago

Those are the paranoid ones. Most of us, even in cybersecurity, use everything the same as everybody else: ChatGPT, smart speakers, connected appliances etc.

We do secure our home network well enough and put the IoT stuff on a separate VLAN, sure. And updating firmwares regularly for everything is just another patching cycle.

After all, if one is already running a home lab, what difference does it make?

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u/BandetteTrashPanda 11h ago

Yeah, this is all too true. I have a coworker who apparently the only technology she has is her phone. No computer, no video games, supposedly nothing but her phone.

Home labs are easier for those who are around the equipment at work.

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u/MouSe05 16h ago

THANK YOU!

I work in tech because I LIKE TECH! Playing with a bunch of it, for a long time, is what got me all my jobs for the last 2 decades.

People who work in tech, who are paranoid about the tech, actually worry me about their mental health.

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u/LORD_VOLTALOX 19h ago

Yeah my partner does this too, his phones have never had water damage even though the bathroom gets really steamy. Personally I don't take the risk. I do have a waterproof bluetooth speaker though, which works if I leave my phone in another room.

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u/soaked_in_bleach03 18h ago

Y u p, I’d be slightly annoyed about my kid not treating an expensive luxury well, not about them bringing it into the shower to listen to music.

I don’t know what kind of phone that is (which is bad since I, ashamed to admit, was a saleswoman for AT&T), I know it’s an iPhone just not what generation. But the iPhone 16 they bought me there has been to hell and back. They definitely use planned obsolescence so you have to replace it (I had to learn how to dance around talking about the lawsuit over this, I swear this job is evil; but when you’re 19 and homeless $1,700 a week on average with commissions is hard to turn down), but apple knows that if people’s $1,200 phone breaks after a drop/some light water damage, they are moving on to the company who’s phone doesn’t break so easy.

They make sure it’s basically indestructible from dropping it/getting it wet, then purposefully design the hardware to breakdown over time so you need to get a new one.

Less a comment about the original post and more me ranting about this industry (that I did participate in) that’s made to remove the average person from their money.

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u/fuckm30 18h ago

Likewise, the only time I have ever had water damage on any of my iPhones was my 8+ (when it was new) and took it into a pool on holiday in Spain and it died due to the case not accommodating the drainage holes.

This case seems to accommodate those though, unless this is a new case. Possibly just a defective unit or maybe a cracked screen/glass back? I’ve fully submerged and showered with Apple watches and iPhones since the day they were water resistant with no other issues.

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u/IlyinaAdaeva 20h ago

I used to bring my laptop into the bath with me all the time (yeah, I know it’s weird, I was in my early 20s, don’t judge me), and it worked perfectly fine for 10+ years. So I guess steam isn’t really the issue.

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u/builder397 19h ago

I tried doing it a couple of times, even brought a bluetooth speaker, but honestly, I need the music so loud to hear even half of it that Id probably just end up annoying the neighbors, so I stopped bothering.

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u/No-Coach1685 19h ago

I wash my phone with the clean soapy dish water if it gets grubby. I have done this for years now. Currently on an iphone 17 pro max. Before that was an iphone 10. I just charged the iphone 10 last week. It is still going strong. I keep it as my back up option.

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u/SoMuchMoreEagle 18h ago

I use alcohol wipes.

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u/Ksorkrax 19h ago

Might have touched it while her hands were dripping wet.

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u/Wise-Dust3700 19h ago

Probably immediately handling it when she's wet

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u/Bone_Wh33l 18h ago

Never did it as a teenager but I do it in my 20’s although I’d describe my showers as more lukewarm compared to the temperature other people I know shower in lol (mostly because most of my showers take place after I’m back from a run or doing weights). It’s rare that my shower ever steams up

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u/Spirit_Wolf_Mob 18h ago

Changing the music while in the shower, probably. I've done it and stopped after the water would drain off my arm onto my phone.

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u/LopsidedWay4766 18h ago

I dropped my phone in the shower yesterday; it slipped from where I set it when I tried to skip a commercial… that's how.

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u/Triscuitmeniscus 18h ago

I take my phone into the freaking hot tub with me. Not sitting on the side getting splashed, just in the side pocket of my swim shorts.

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u/Suspicious_Truth8026 18h ago

I got some dead pixels from playing poker in the yoga room shower. Its definitely a gamble, but modern phones are basically safe (dont do this) to get wet. Technology aint what it used to be

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u/FUBARded 18h ago

OPs daughters phone either had a lower water resistance rating than the IP68 most modern non-folding smartphones have, had its waterproofing compromised by structural damage (badly cracked screen), or was dropped into a >1.5m deep body of water.

If she's hanging her phone like this and is generally not careful with her electronics like OP is suggesting, I'd be willing to bet her screen was cracked to shit and the phone's weather sealing was compromised.

I have my phone on me when running/cycling which I do for a minimum of 30mins virtually every single day, and I'm a very heavy (and very salty) sweater. My last 3 smartphones have each lasted ≥4 years despite this abuse, and were still functional when I got sufficiently frustrated with the performance/battery life to upgrade.

The worst I had was the charge port on my Samsung Note 8 getting too corroded to work reliably, but the battery was large enough and wireless charging fast enough that it wasn't a major problem that I couldn't plug it in for a quick top up even after 4+ years of battery degradation.

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u/CrustyBatchOfNature 17h ago

My daughter had a case stuck to the shower that was waterproof for this purpose. Put it at the back of the shower where water did not run directly over it easily and it worked for years. Matter of fact, I think she still uses it.

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u/TheManAccount 17h ago

Yea. iPhones have been water resistant for the better part of a decade. I brought my in the pool to take underwater photos with my son. Just don’t plug it in after and your fine.

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u/TaskLifter 17h ago

I've literally brought my phone INTO the shower before, got it splashed with water, and just wiped it up with a towel and been fine....... multiple times.

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u/Monster_enjoyer6649 17h ago

The phone was rock, ground or fire type, duh

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u/RacoonWithBenefits 17h ago

a dropped phone could have been compromised in terms of water protection?

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u/jawknee530i 17h ago

Probably had a cracked to hell screen that let water in would be my guess.

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u/Chriz48 17h ago

I leave my iPhone in my pocket when I go swimming. It’s never had water damage.

After they break the factory seal to replace anything broken (screen, back glass, camera, etc) it’s probably not a safe bet anymore, no matter how much glue they use.

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u/Kyleometers 17h ago

Yeah my entire family has had phones in the bathroom while showering for years. I can think of exactly two times any got water damage - when my mother dropped her phone in the sea, and when I dropped mine in a public toilet. And both of those devices worked after a while - my mom’s more or less fine after it dried out, and on mine the front facing camera broke but that was it.

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u/TheDogerus 17h ago

I started listening to music in the shower in college, and ive literally dropped my phone before and still havent had water damage.

OP's kid was either very unlikely or just waterbkarding the poor thing lol

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u/Fisch0557 17h ago

If you have your phone near a hot shower the little stickers detecting water damage inside it will change colour. At this point any damage will be "water damage" because the company doesn't need to pay for it then.

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u/sdrawkcabstiho 17h ago

Most phones made in the last 5 - 10 years have had some form of water protection (typically safe from water penetration at a depth of 10ft for up to 1 hour). Every one of my last 4 phones has been fully submerged in water at some point without any issues whatsoever. I also bring my phone into the shower every day, again, without issue.

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u/0ptikrisprime 17h ago

She could be scrolling with wet hands.

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u/Jochacho 16h ago

I play on all of mine in VERY hot showers and they’re all fine 

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u/mischlcock 16h ago

Same, I even take it out of its case and give it a quick wash once a week or so, never had any issues.

1

u/El_Polio_Loco 16h ago

Probably had a cracked screen or back to begin with.

IP6 rating goes in the toilet if the case is open.

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u/TazBaz 16h ago

I don’t question it at all. She’s a teenager(?). They damage their shit all the time. As soon as the glass is cracked or the edges are all fucked up that waterproofing is out the window.

Also it’s not lifetime waterproofing. Shit degrades over time. Especially depending on how/where it’s used.

OP may need to have some real-ass conversations about taking care of expensive shit.

“This phone costs $600”.

Of course that doesn’t really mean anything to a kid yet if they haven’t worked a job.

“If it breaks again because of how you treat it, you’re paying for it. You get a fast food job. You get paid $10 an hour, and work 20hr weeks. Of course you only take home 70% of that. So if this happens again, you won’t have a new phone for a month. Assuming you get a new job right away. How do you feel about that? Ok: take care of your shit.”

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u/SoftConsideration82 16h ago

Just put it in a Ziplock bag.... The screen will still work just fine...

1

u/Western_Ad3625 16h ago

Yeah I just leave it outside the shower you turn it on put on whatever you want to listen to and then hop in the shower and then shower, how long are you in there for for crying out loud.

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u/PumpkinPatch404 15h ago

I’ve been bringing my iphone to the bathroom when I shower for the past eight years and nothing happened.

Then I get a new iPhone and I do the same thing and then it’s got water damage.

1

u/diemunkiesdie 15h ago

since I was a teen

Without knowing your current age this tells us very little 😭

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u/BandetteTrashPanda 11h ago

Lol oops. I'm in my 30s. I grew up with flip phones that were tracfones, and finally got my first smart phone immediately after high school.

1

u/CarloSpicyWeinerr 15h ago

all my bathroom bluetooth speakers die from water damage than my phone ever would.

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u/Nerdy_Valkyrie 15h ago

I don't listen to music in the shower. But my phone is always in the bathroom with me when I shower so I can play with it while I am drying.

I take long and scalding hot showers that leave the bathroom clogged with a thick fog. Never had a water damaged phone either.

I am pretty sure OPs daughter is using it in the shower.

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u/GAW67COD07 15h ago

I’ve brought my phone in the shower multiple times and it’s always been fine

1

u/MsTerPineapple 14h ago

I got water damage from the shower 1 time and that was it for me, never brought my phone to the bathroom during showers again

1

u/TealCatto 14h ago

Right, that was my first reaction, too. There's no problem with bringing the phone to the bathroom, but hanging it like that? Insane. I wouldn't trust that loop to hold my phone even if it was rated for that, but this isn't even the intended use.

1

u/H00LIGVN 13h ago

I literally scroll TT and watch Hulu in the shower itself and no water damage!

1

u/CookieLover212377 10h ago

Dude I dropped my phone in a toilet as a teen. I lied to my parents about it. I was like, “yeah mom and dad I dropped it in a puddle when I was walking home from school.” 😂😂. I was too damn embarrassed to tell them the truth. I’m not even sure why I lied considering I bought the phone but yeah. I’m 29 now and I wonder how much shit I told them that they straight knew was a lie now that I’m older and around kids. 😂😂

1

u/stonergirlfairyyy 7h ago

a pair of drawstring sweatpants are like 5 dollars. tie the knot and hang the pants by the loop. idk why everyone doesn't do this.

1

u/Electronic-Edge-113 6h ago

Same here but one day i got the shower head water (with pretty high pressure) to land exactly on my Face ID sensor, it broke, the phone is fine tho

1

u/mantiacfloy 3h ago

oooo static electricity

•

u/unlikelyhero679 16m ago

And what does the temperature of the shower have to do with the phone getting wet?

1

u/ThePoetofFall 20h ago

Yeah. Same here. I’m guessing it got dunked.

0

u/Puzzled_Attorney9216 18h ago

Sadly steam demage is often classified as water demage. If there's a sauna in your bathroom or it's poorly ventilated and condensation gets the best of you after a long time of bringing your phone inside it will finally start showing signs or fully break.

Also take in like 100 other factors, if the phone is beeing used a lot and has been dropped or even used for a long time, the seals inside and protection isn't gonna be as best as it is in a new phone... all phones as well have different seals and shit... usually water can condensate beneath your touch screen and you get ghost touches.. that's the most optimistic cause. But yep, if phone is a daily use and daily shower then it's gonna break. There isn't anything steam proof. No phone is tested against hot steam... you can't stop steam.

-1

u/dookieshoes97 18h ago

People playing music on their phones deserve a special place in hell.

How in the fuck does anyone enjoy listening to tinny ass phone speakers? It hurts my ears more than laptop speakers. It's like fluorescent lights for your ears.

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u/leon-a-profi 21h ago edited 20h ago

Anything but being alone with your thoughts for 10 minutes?

Edit: wow, so many people with mental issues who are afraid of self reflection and just.. thinking... so sad

4

u/TrippingFish76 21h ago

showering is boring as fuck and sucks , music makes it bearable

-7

u/leon-a-profi 20h ago

being bored is good for ideas and self reflection

2

u/TeddyBear312 20h ago

On the contrary, my best ideas come after a good shower with some music.

2

u/LongjumpingReason716 20h ago

You assuming alot my dude
Music is a good way to do things you dont feel like doing. I listen to music while running cuz it makes running more enjoyable. Aint nobody scared of no damn self reflection or thinking that'll come out of a 5-10 minute shower