iPhone 8/Plus water damaged after battery replacement.

[Hieveryone]

It might reduce chance of liquid getting inside. In general terms does so, but, and a big but,

No guarantees, no warrantees.

There is no way even for manufacturer to determine on any given device that the seal is effective. A pressure test would itself compromise a well sealed phone by popping the seal.

It’s a sales, advertising gimmick.

My Rolex Sea Dweller watch is guaranteed to seal against specific pressure. It’s designed for and each watch tested for that. But I don’t want to pay for phone safe to depth of 12,000 ft.

So what your saying is that if something is defective there’s no way to know if it’s defective?

 

[HEK]

In that case I would argue that Apple is guilty of false advertising and in contradiction of consumer law. They state that their devices are waterproof to IP67 IEC standard 60529 (maximum depth of 1 meter up to 30 minutes), but then in the small print say it might not be and regardless, if you find it's not - it's on you for getting water near it... I'm not a lawyer but to me it seems a case of misrepresenting a products capabilities and wilfully misleading consumers.

If they don't replace it I'll take it to the small claims court. It costs £40 to bring a case in the UK and Apple will have to represent or concede.

To all the haters, it's getting a bit heated.. chill out, if they replace the phone - great, if not, i'll contest it in court and if i lose, so be it. I'll let the thread know the outcome for those who are interested.

I wish you all the luck. And encourage you to take it to court. I always felt the advertising and warrantee did not match up. That’s why I din’t Take my phone into shower.

Think of it this way. Apple advertises the great pictures phone will take. Yet I have seen any number of people taking lousy pictures. Is that Apple’s responsibility?

If Apple had solely relied on advertising and ip67 rating and not stated warnings against use in water and not expressly excluding liquid damage in warrantee you would definitely win your case.

No hate on my part here, maybe you. Am simply clearly stating what is stated by Apple. The Ip67 rating comes from testing examples of phones. If they pass they are awarded that rating. I don’t believe that rating guarantees that each and every phone will at all times meet that rating, certainly not if case is opened.

Again wish you best of luck in getting phone replaced. However, if you do I strongly suggest not bathing with it again.
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So what your saying is that if something is defective there’s no way to know if it’s defective?

If you know of a way to test that doesn’t involve potential destruction of phone, I am all ears. Apple might even pay for such a test.

Dunking phone doesn’t prove it won’t leak next week. And how would you tell if any liquid got in.

Pressure test might pop seal causing increased future leaks. Again how to know.

Calling it defective is a reach as again no guarantee any given phone won’t leak. Meeting certification means the manufacturing process was tested with sample phones. The assumption is that if manufacturing process stays the same there is confidence, but not certainty that phones will continue to meet ip67.

In any case this phone was opened up manually, resealed manually so the manufacturing process Ip67 rating no longer applies.

 

[44267547]

*Case in point*:

A water resistance rating for a smart phone is merely a rating, it’s not a guarantee. If the OP plans on ‘arguing’ with Apple over a phone that is water damaged, they really don’t have much of a case being they openly admitted and subjected their phone to water that they used in hot tub‘s, etc.

 

[1rottenapple]

What does the seal do then?

Seals they swim and eat fish. And look adorable.

 

[HEK]

What does the seal do then?

The seal helps against liquid intrusion, obviously. What you fail to comprehend is that the design of the phone is not to make it waterproof.

That would take a case with much more robust seal, no microphone or speaker screens, sealed switches and lightening connector.

The phone is designed with improved water restistance over previous models. You do get much better chance of protection against liquids than before, but not a certainty.

Warpage, seal tolerances, ageing, droppage, and for sure opening case will compromise the current design. Preventing the seal from working.

This is real world manufacturing not yes or no, all or nothing, always or never issue.

You own a car? That car has a manufacturers warranty on certain parts. That warranty has a limit, time and miles because company knows it will fail after that. And some parts like brake pads don’t have warranty because user can abuse and ruin them with improper use in a day.

Phone is same thing, Apple made it stand up better to accidental water exposure, but in no uncertain terms telling you in black and white to not intentionally shower with it. That’s improper use. Apple knows design helps reduce but not eliminate water intrusion. So you as owner have responsibility to keep it away from water. You own liquid damages.

So the seal helps but not the way you wish it did.

 

[richb330]

Update - So i took it to Apple and they said exactly what most on here have said, it's not 'waterproof' but 'water resistant'. Water damage is not covered under warranty and despite the battery replacement they refused to do anything for me. They suggested making a claim under my home contents insurance or try to sell it on as damaged. Alternatively they would fix it for £400. I don't know if this means they would give me a new one or simply take the main board out and put a new screen and case around it?

I thought of taking it to small claims court but after talking to Apple and the arguments on here i don't think I'd win. so i'm in for £400.

Thanks for the posts.

 

[44267547]

I don't know if this means they would give me a new one or simply take the main board out and put a new screen and case around it?.

The logic board can’t be replaced in store, they would likely just replace the display, seals and battery if that was also damaged. Or, they would just issue a warranty device altogether if the phone couldn’t be repaired if it was beyond too much water damage.

 

[NJHitmen]

Update - So i took it to Apple and they said exactly what most on here have said, it's not 'waterproof' but 'water resistant'. Water damage is not covered under warranty and despite the battery replacement they refused to do anything for me. They suggested making a claim under my home contents insurance or try to sell it on as damaged. Alternatively they would fix it for £400. I don't know if this means they would give me a new one or simply take the main board out and put a new screen and case around it?

I thought of taking it to small claims court but after talking to Apple and the arguments on here i don't think I'd win. so i'm in for £400.

Thanks for the posts.

That's unfortunate, but not surprising. Thanks for coming back and telling us what happened - that information will be helpful to other customers in the same situation. Lesson learned, I suppose.

 

[HEK]

Update - So i took it to Apple and they said exactly what most on here have said, it's not 'waterproof' but 'water resistant'. Water damage is not covered under warranty and despite the battery replacement they refused to do anything for me. They suggested making a claim under my home contents insurance or try to sell it on as damaged. Alternatively they would fix it for £400. I don't know if this means they would give me a new one or simply take the main board out and put a new screen and case around it?

I thought of taking it to small claims court but after talking to Apple and the arguments on here i don't think I'd win. so i'm in for £400.

Thanks for the posts.

Sorry to hear Apple stuck to their guns and didn’t make exception. I continue to think while they are clear in writing, some of the past commercials certainly left a different impression. Interesting I have not seen those original commercials at poolside any more.

Good luck with paid replacement/repair and keep it away from water.

 

[newellj]

It is possible that the battery replacement left your phone vulnerable (to whatever degree). The problem is you don't know either way and you have purposefully subjected your phone to water after the replacement.

I think there's a high probability that the tech who reassembled the phone didn't, or was unable to, achieve the same degree of water resistance that the phone had when it was originally assembled in the factory. I really don't think that's surprising, but politely asking Apple to stand behind the repair may get you a replacement.
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Update - So i took it to Apple and they said exactly what most on here have said, it's not 'waterproof' but 'water resistant'. Water damage is not covered under warranty and despite the battery replacement they refused to do anything for me. They suggested making a claim under my home contents insurance or try to sell it on as damaged. Alternatively they would fix it for £400. I don't know if this means they would give me a new one or simply take the main board out and put a new screen and case around it?

I thought of taking it to small claims court but after talking to Apple and the arguments on here i don't think I'd win. so i'm in for £400.

Thanks for the posts.

Missed this - bummer. But it's worth noting that you can find a lot of people reporting that even a factory-new phone had a water exposure problem and Apple won't cover the damage under its warranty.

This really makes me mad, because if you're going to hype the phone's ability to withstand water (including short dunks), you should (in my opinion) put your money where your mouth is and cover water damage under the warranty. I understand why Apple is reluctant to do this, but then they should back off the advertising claims. YMMV.

 

[anubis1980]

When i had my Iphone X repaired before they eventually replaced it. They actually told me not to get it wet as the seal will never be the same as factory spec.

 

[newellj]

Sorry to hear Apple stuck to their guns and didn’t make exception. I continue to think while they are clear in writing, some of the past commercials certainly left a different impression. Interesting I have not seen those original commercials at poolside any more.

Good luck with paid replacement/repair and keep it away from water.

Agree completely!

 

[tl01]

Update - So i took it to Apple and they said exactly what most on here have said, it's not 'waterproof' but 'water resistant'. Water damage is not covered under warranty and despite the battery replacement they refused to do anything for me. They suggested making a claim under my home contents insurance or try to sell it on as damaged. Alternatively they would fix it for £400. I don't know if this means they would give me a new one or simply take the main board out and put a new screen and case around it?

I thought of taking it to small claims court but after talking to Apple and the arguments on here i don't think I'd win. so i'm in for £400.

Thanks for the posts.

My Apple stores just replaced water damaged phones for the price they quote. They don’t try to repair them. Don’t know if that is the case where you are.