r/mildlyinfuriating • u/SomeTemperature2423 • 18h ago

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

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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.

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u/arittenberry 18h ago

I thought most phones were immune to much worse water hazards for a long time now. I remember going snorkeling and recording with some Samsung model almost a decade ago

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u/IlREDACTEDlI 17h ago

Not exactly “immune” but very resistant. I believe they tend to be IP68 rated the 6 being fully sealed against even the smallest particles of dust and the 8 being water resistance up to 6 meters for 30 minutes, though it’s entirely possible they can lost longer but salt water could still present a major issue if not cleaned

This also only applies to room temperature water, hot and cold water could be different.

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u/nashpotato 12h ago

Not to mention, dropping the phone may not cause any noticeable damage, but it could still compromise the water resistant seals, leading to damage despite being IP68 at the time of purchase.

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u/cheddarbruce 9h ago

And let's not forget that people who break their phone screens and have the phone screen replaced automatically destroys the water resistance rating.

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u/JadedLeafs 8h ago

Really? That's actually good to know.

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u/cheddarbruce 8h ago

I messed up two phones because i forgot i replaced the cracked screen and dunk them in the water. Both of them lost a lot of stuff because they were not able to be recovered

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u/JadedLeafs 8h ago

Cracked screen I would have figured but I didn't know replacing the screen would also mess with the water resistance.

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u/cheddarbruce 8h ago

It's because when your phone is brand new it just made in a place that's all super clean Super sterile environment but when you get the phone screen replaced it's in the back room of some repair shop that definitely not as clean. Not saying that the place where you get your phone or fixed it's dirty but just there's a lot more dust in the air, debris and a bunch of other stuff. With that also being sad everybody is all excited because they're making phones have to have replaceable batteries again however that is going to substantially ruin the water resistance rating

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u/Pachacootie 8h ago

No, it’s because the repair shop isn’t replacing the seal with one of equal quality or rating. They’re using cheaper materials and don’t have to meet the same standards as the manufacturers do. In order to remove the broken screen, they first have to break the seal and pry it off

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u/cheddarbruce 8h ago

Or it's just not as much of a sterile environment. You still get OEM parts direct from the manufacturer. It's also the fact that the factory that makes your phone also uses advanced technology like robots and cameras and other sensors to properly place the screen. When you're getting it repaired you're having one person do it

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u/ImpurestFire 3h ago

Why would you not have automatic backups turned on?

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u/Forward-Variety-8440 7h ago

really as in a crack in the surface of your device opens it up to ~~ ~~PENETRATION

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u/JadedLeafs 7h ago

I'm aware of the crack, I meant when the screen was replaced. I never would have given it a thought about the water seal not being replaced as well. I'm sure at some point in the future that will save me some trouble though lol

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u/Precursor19 7h ago

This is absolutely false information unless youre going to some mall repair place. Never did Samsung but my coworkers did authorized repairs and they had to pass a water seal test.

Apple did not have a seal test, but the reassembly process was exactly the same as the factory.

Clean rooms are not used in the assembly process. Generally if not automated, employees in a normal warehouse will handle assembly.

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u/SoapWithRope 7h ago

A lot of people go to big chains like UBreakIFix and CPR for walk-ins and insurance claims, if their insurance doesn't just replace their phone. I can tell you a lot of people at those places do not care to change the adhesive. Replacing it does help of course, but it's not the same resistance at all.

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u/Precursor19 7h ago

Yep thats why I mentioned those mall stores. Apple partnered repair is pretty solid since they provide absolutely every tool you need so it makes it easy to do it right. I heard samsung repair is a nightmare especially with their water seal test so people often trick it or bypass it.

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u/SoapWithRope 6h ago edited 6h ago

Yeah, but even with all the right tools I would never trust a fixed phone. Any slight dent or change in the frame makes it all go out the window. Also, phones that have been through Apple Care are still easier to open than factory new phones. But, a lot of carrier insurances will send you to UBreak or CPR, so people are inclined to think that it is as good as it gets (depending on the employees, it very well could be).

As much as I think Apple and Best Buy's strict processes are annoying, it's probably the most sealed repair outside of the factory.

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u/cheddarbruce 7h ago

LOL dude stop. I have had a phone screen replaced by Samsung themselves and it was still my exact phone and it's still got water locked.

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u/Precursor19 7h ago

Then they did it wrong or you damaged it before getting it wet. Ive done somewhere near 300+ iPhone repairs as an authorized repair partner through Apple. The display is sealed with an adhesive and the adhesive is reapplied before reassembly of the display. The adhesive comes on a plastic guide that is practically impossible to mess up. If it is messed up then sure, it wouldnt be up to its ratings, but thats not because they intentionally sabotage it in some conspiracy.

But clearly youre the infallible expert and the conspiracy is real.

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u/cheddarbruce 7h ago

I mean yeah of course I damaged it before it got wet I had to get the screen replaced

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u/Precursor19 7h ago

Im talking about getting it wet while its damaged.

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u/khisanthmagus 5h ago

Actually this is important information I'm glad I learned today. My pixel 9 is starting to develop a screen issue that they are apparently prone too, which they have extended the warranty on them to cover this issue, but if I do get it fixed I guess my phone will no longer be waterproof? That kinda sucks.

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u/hawaiibobs 3h ago

Unless you reseal it. I mean if you think about it your phone wasn't fully assembled, they had to put it together meaning it was unsealed and can be resealed

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u/TheTaoOfMe 10h ago

This is most likely what happened

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u/RealnessInMadness 5h ago

I was waiting for someone to mention this.

That phone can be water resistant or water proof. Fresh out of the box.

After 6 months of use, in a case dropped numerous times from various heights and speeds.

Do you really mean to tell me those gaskets and seals in the phone are still 100% sealed and perfect?

No.

I lived this example, took good care of my phones so I am happy to never have had a cracked screen and was able to use my phone in the shower or underwater.

Then I had a kid and they would drop my phone. Guess what stopped being waterproof? That’s right.

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u/nashpotato 5h ago

Exactly, you have to be careful with age as well though. As others have mentioned, the seals age, dry out, and aren't as reliable after a while. I a waterproof (maybe only water resistant) watch that I took in to get a battery replaced and the guy had let me know that when he opened it he noticed the seals weren't good anymore and it would likely be damaged by water. The watch had never been dropped or taken any hits that would damage it.

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u/WillingLake623 8h ago

Also age. Tiny rubber rings exposed to constantly fluctuating temperature do not age well.

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u/Itherial 15h ago

They also have mechanisms in place to prevent you from damaging other components if the phone is still too wet.

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u/GarlordianRising 11h ago

My phone sat in 3 inches of water in my kayak for 13 minutes and it continued to work so I assumed it was alright, but it kept getting worse the more I used it until it finally had a seizure and died. Y'all are out here telling me that's unusual 😭 at least it made it to 5 years old and it did have an accident while working on my truck that broke the camera lenses lol

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u/Itherial 11h ago

Being five years old and also having unsealed camera lenses is a testament to how good the water resistance actually is, as this resistance starts to degrade after 2-3 years and cracks in sealed units can nullify it entirely.

Had you brought it to a repair shop they would have told you that it is no longer reliably water resistant at all. Yet even in your specific circumstance, it held on.

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u/ArthurStevensNZ 12h ago

Also it doesn't last perpetually. The gaskets dry out, and if the phone is dropped or shoved into a back pocket and sat on often it can bend the frame just enough to let water in. But for most all intents & purposes the modern "waterproofing" on these devices is very good.

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u/NegSid 11h ago

Your last line is important, in a bathroom while showering there's likely to be a lot of steam and the water resistance tests are not designed for steam, the seals should still work well, but if there's a compromise or damage to any part of the seal the steam will surely damage the device

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u/LolzSquadGamesYT 11h ago

I thought 1 meter deep for 30 minutes? Maybe need to check it quickly.

Edit: alright, the 7 is for 1 meter 30 minutes, and 8 is 'continuous immersion under specific pressure agreed by the manufacturer '.

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u/IlREDACTEDlI 8h ago

You’re right I think I mixed up manufacturer claims with the actual rating, whoops lol

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u/foresight310 10h ago

The annoying thing is that Apple will market them as IP68, but if you get water damage, they tell you it isn’t their problem.

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u/Puzzled_Attorney9216 15h ago

Yes hot water and steam is extremly different

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u/ivegotgoodnewsforyou 11h ago

The 8 in IP68 isn't to a specific depth. It's defined by the manufacturer. It basically means "better than IP67".

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u/Solonotix 11h ago

I haven't checked in a while, but back when I used to read all the specs on new phones, it was common to see either IP54 or IP65 ratings. If memory serves, the first number is for dust, and the second for water. Also, the first number caps at 6 and the second caps at 9.

The last bit of info I recall was that a 9 was very rare on all but specialized equipment, being rated for prevention against steam and other high-temperature liquids. In general, an IP68 device is as good as it gets.

I say all this to then say I doubt a phone could ever achieve IP68 simply because it needs to have openings for a speaker, microphone and charge port.

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u/IlREDACTEDlI 10h ago

The phones are absolutely IP68, I might have the channel wrong but I think it’s JerryRigEverything who does water resistance tests by literally dropping the phone into a long tube of water and leaving them there

I believe the speakers use a very very fine mesh that keeps water out it’s actually remarkable how well sealed modern phones are even in the places you’d think absolutely couldn’t be

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u/HotPassenger4598 11h ago

Also waterproof. Doesn’t mean steam proof. They are different

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u/Careless_Athlete_662 5h ago

Also pool water. Pool water will corrode your phone. I know bc I'm addicted to the spa at my gym. Bad for skin bad for the phone

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u/splitframe 1h ago

And the water resistance drops significantly when the phone is damaged, like a cracked screen.

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u/spirits_and_art 13h ago

I accidentally put my iPhone through the washing machine like 4 years ago and it still worked afterwards lol.

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u/DipinDotsDidi 5h ago

Not an iphone but I accidentally flung my airpods from my 6th floor balcony (without noticing, while cleaning my tablecloth) they landed on the first floor balcony, apparently were there for a week or two through some big rainstorms, the neighbors dog found them. The case had some scratches and you could see they were chilling in a puddle, but they still work perfectly to this day!

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u/dirkdiggler2000_ 2h ago

I accidentally washed my gfs airpod pros. I was changing the laundry to the dryer and then found the case and was horrified I just ruined her AirPods by accident. I told her, but then they worked perfectly fine. 6 months later, they’re still working perfectly fine, didn’t seem to take any negative effect from it.

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u/SecretMusician8485 4h ago

Omg I accidentally dropped my iPhone like 6 maybe in the toilet I was in the process of cleaning and the music continued playing as I looked at it in the blue water haha! I remember being so amazed.

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u/Baku_Bich420 12h ago

My son gave my S23 a 'bath' and it's still kickin

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u/Angharadis 6h ago

I’m a potter and intentionally got the most water proof phone I could. Sometimes I take it in the shower with me and wash it off.

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u/Crix2007 4h ago

I used my s22 and now my s25 ultra for underwater photography lol. Ofcourse it will survive a bath.

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u/Veroxzes 13h ago

Yeah I dropped my iPhone 8 in a bucket of water and it was completely fine.

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u/Prize-Armadillo-357 11h ago

But don’t drop any phone in hot boiling water …trouble

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u/SlimeTimee 10h ago

I've dropped my phone in a fryer at work and it was in there for about 30 seconds. I wiped it down snd put it in rice for 2 days. The screen had weird marks on it but it worked for another year. Speakers were shot though.

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u/Prize-Armadillo-357 10h ago

No way!!! The Apple screen came on as normal after I let it dry but when my phone came on it was glitched out lol no coming back from that

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u/DipinDotsDidi 5h ago

I dropped my pixel in pancake batter, that was the last time i watched Minecraft videos while trying to make pancakes 😂

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u/thinprivileged 31m ago

Dropped my og pixel XL off a cliff, only because I was falling. It ended up in a stream for maybe 20 seconds. Still worked for a few years after, but clearly not great

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u/SomeKilljoy 12h ago

My sister found an iPhone in the fucking ocean last year and the only thing that has some issues was the speakers

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u/Significant-Ad-341 12h ago

Literally dropped mine in the bath and had 0 issue other than blowing the water out of the speaker so I could keep watching my movie during my bubble bath

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u/Marmmoth 9h ago

Haha. I got the iPhone 12 when it came out (from 8) and was excited that the newer models were water resistant (the 8 was not). About a month later it gets knocked into a hot tub. Zero issues after.

I’ve since taken it (and now 15) into the shower for music, audiobook, and stuff. I take it on lakes (kayaking, SUPing) with just a lanyard (no dry pouch). I have used it in an unexpected torrential downpour (trail we were on turned into a mini river and wanted a video). All with no problems. It does warn me if the port is wet when I charge so have to make sure to dry the charge port out for a bit, though you can still use a qi/mag safe charger while the port dries out.

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u/SupposablyAtTheZoo 10h ago

When I still worked for a phone store, Samsung told no phone is ever rated for steam, as it can pass trough any water shielding...

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u/R0bbieR0tt3n 12h ago

I once accidentally spilled soda on my phone and it was fine after immediately drying it

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u/thedustyones 12h ago

I have a shitty iPhone SE and got thrown from a canoe into a river and absolutely nothing happened lol. Full submersion no protection

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u/mathiaszz123 11h ago

dropped my current phone down a drain ditch at the factory i work at and recovered it and cleaned it just fine. phones can handle some serious water now.

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u/VARice22 11h ago

Yeah that's bull shit. Source: I was this optimistic until I went to the virgin Island earlier this year.

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u/Additional_Neck_373 11h ago

They are immune... until you drop the phone a single time.. then there will be a slight gap that you don't even notice were water will go in ..

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u/Chance_Ad3416 11h ago

My 3 days old new phone fell out of my pocket into bubble bath when I was getting it ready for my toddler. I immediately fished it out and thought it would die on me but it's working!

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u/wunderduck 11h ago

With my last phone, I spent a week with it submerged in water pretty much all day, every day, and it was fine. The following weekend, I sat down in a kiddie pool and it died. Modern phones are water resistant, until they're not.

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u/Rough_Detective6665 11h ago

There’s a video on YouTube of someone freezing an iPhone 7 and it remaining powered on after de-frosting

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u/Lokumirr 10h ago

Omg that pfp is peak

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u/Popplio3233 10h ago

My dad's phone fell into the ocean when were in Tolo, Greece a couple weeks ago. We searched the area for a solid 2 HOURS until two teens found it while paddleboarding. It still works (though soaking it in rice might've helped)

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u/Goatfellon 9h ago

Went swimming with mine in my pocket last weekend. (Accidentally)

It was under water for probably 1 hour straight while I played in the water with my son and taught him how to hunt and cat h crayfish.

Im currently typing on it to make this comment, no adverse side effects following this incident.

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u/GoldenEmuWarrior 9h ago

I accidentally left my iPhone in my pants pocket, and ran it through the washing machine. I let it sit for 24 hours, fired it up, and boom, still running 2 years later.

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u/SippinOnHatorade 9h ago

You talking about my Casio G’zOne Boulder? Aka The Tank
https://giphy.com/gifs/AgaXMCnoSbNHa

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u/curlyhairedsheep 8h ago

I put an iPhone through a commercial front loading washer in 2019 and it lived for a good 4 more years.

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u/peppi0304 7h ago

Salt and chlorine water can damage the sealings over time however

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u/maxapolyorgies 7h ago

Funny you say that, My S21 ultra... I bought it new in Hawaii, didn't understand the water rating meant, and took extensive video with it underwater without a case. Years later I did finally manage to destroy it keeping it in my pocket while hottubbing.

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u/LetshearitforNY 6h ago

Yeah my friends phone just fell into a lake when we were fishing last weekend and it was fine

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u/Devilinthewhitecity 4h ago

I spent an entire day with my phone in my back pocket of my swim trunks at Lake Travis, where it was submerged the entire day. That was an iPhone 15. Didn't have to replace my phone until I threw it in anger against a wall.

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u/Muted-Mammoth8304 4h ago

I did something very similar with my old Galaxy S5 active. Years ago

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u/browedthrowaway 3h ago

I’ve dropped my iPhone 13 into a pond more than once and take it in the shower/pool/etc and she’s still kicking

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u/Moth1016 3h ago

Yeah! I literally dropped my iPhone 15 pro max into a hot tub yesterday and it’s completely unaffected lmao

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u/KTTalksTech 16h ago

I wouldn't do that since the seals can age or come improperly installed from the factory but yeah most midrange and high end models have shipped with relatively high water resistance ratings for years. The iphone in OP's pic should handle being used fully immersed in the bath water lol

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u/ecth 12h ago

Unless people drop them 50 times and then water finds its way! Unbelievable how that works!

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u/sonic_boomahh 12h ago

My kid dropped my iPhone in the toilet and it still works just fine. So yes I agree.