UPDATE: THERE IS AN UPDATE AND SUMMARY TO THIS POST POSTED ON EXAMINER.COM. Please check there for all the follow-ups in one place.
About a month ago, I started having the infamous “headphone jack” issue on my iPhone. My iPhone will not correctly switch back to handset mode when I unplug my earphones, or even worse, if I am using the handset, it will switch to headphone mode in the middle of a call and I won’t be able to hear anything anymore. Or is just sits on the table minding it’s own business and decides to switch.
When I first started having the issue, I jumped on Google and saw that hundreds, if not thousands of other iPhone users were having the same issue. Some said to just plug the headphones in and out a few times, but that only works temporarily. Others said to get the debris out using canned air. I did that too. Another said to use a Q-tip and a dab of rubbing alcohol to clean in there really good. I tried it all. The issue still persists. Several times a day my phone will decide on it’s own “Hey, I think I’ll switch to headphone mode for a while!”.
So, finally I called Apple Corporate Support since my phone was purchased through work. I describe the problem to them. They agreed that it sounded like my phone was faulty and made an appointment for me to visit the Apple Store in my area at 6:30 that evening. It is a bit of a drive from me, so it wasn’t like I could just stop by on the way home. I went in, gave my phone to the rep, explained the issue, etc. He used a tool to remove the SIM card, looked in the headphone jack and SIM slot really good with a flash light, connected it to his computer and ran some sort of diagnostics, then said “well I am going to swap this out for you no problem, let me just go in the back for a minute.” He came back a couple of minutes later, with his flashlight and says “Umm Ma’am, do you see this red strip under the connector here?” I said “yeah, what is that?” He says “That is a moisture sensor. This phone has been exposed to moisture.” I stupidly said “Umm, ok… so what now?” He said “That voids the warranty and there is nothing that we can do for you. If you want to get a new phone you will have to buy one for $399.” Now, I got this phone last July through my job. I calmly explained that the phone has not been wet, etc. but there was nothing he could do for me. I left. I left pretty calmly because I *DID* get this phone through work. It was not my $$ that I was losing. And the phone does still work, I just have to use my earphones if I want to have a conversation. Now, if I would have purchased this phone myself I would probably still be at the store raising hell.
So I jump back on Google and again I see that numerous other iPhone owners have had this happen to them. Apparently there are 4 sensors in the phone. One in the headphone jack, one under the USB connector slot, and 2 inside the phone. Who is the genius that put moisture sensors on those 2 outside spots??? I know mostly all cellphones have them INSIDE so that if someone drops their phone in the toilet they don’t try to get over by taking it in and saying that it does not work. But on the outside??
What this means for us iPhone users is:
1. Even though one of the greatest functions of the phone is that it’s an MP3 player, don’t dare wear your iPhone at the gym because you might sweat on it! Just imagine that? You are working out, the phone is safely tucked into your pocket or arm strap, but you don’t notice that little drip of sweat traveling down the earphone cord and into the slot. Warranty void!
2. Waiting on an important call but need to shower? Don’t dare leave your iPhone on the counter and get the bathroom too steamy. Condensation might form on the phone and bingo, moisture sensor activated. Warranty void!
3. Don’t get caught in the rain (or even a drizzle) with your phone in your pocket unless you are sure it’s in a waterproof bag. Because you cannot keep track of where every raindrop goes. One might make it’s way into your pocket and turn that indicator red. Warranty void!
4. This one is a true story. I was telling my boss about my dilemma and he said “Yep. I know all about the moisture sensor. My daughter is on her 2nd iPhone. The first one she dropped in the toilet so of course there was no argument for warranty there. But, she bought a new one, and her dog licked it. Now the warranty is void.” LOL!!!!!
I have no clue what happened to my own phone. I have had it in the bathroom while showering though, so I suspect that one. Or did he go in the back and put a drop of water on it? HA!
There are several other scenarios I could come up with. I just really cannot believe that they designed it that way. But you know what? I got a $100 Apple coupon out of it. But nope, it cannot be used towards the purchase of a new phone (or an Apple TV) apparently. AND it cannot be used in the education store, so I cannot use it through my job.
Lastly, the very nice rep that I spoke to did tell me that things will definitely get better. He made big hints at hardware changes, etc. coming soon when I said that I will probably want the newer iPhone this summer anyway. And it sounds like they made changes in the sensors as well.
Now I am out to warn all poor unsuspecting iPhone users: WATCH OUT FOR THOSE SENSORS!!
| LusterForever.com – Cool silver charms and leather bracelets design! Totally awesome sterling silver bracelets. |
Check out:
Facebook comments:
Powered by Facebook Comments
More info…
If you look at the iPhone specifications, you will note that they clearly state “Relative humidity: 5% to 95% NONCONDENSING” as an operational and storage environmental requirement. (because condensation on the moisture strips will activate them).
This means if you EVER expose the phone to atmospheric conditions in which atmospheric condensation can occur (which is common in many places around the world) regardless if the temperature is kept within specified limits you still run the risk of:
=Instant “warranty violation”!!!
In fact, it’s even POSSIBLE that those moisture strips in some of the phones have already been activated by the time you buy the phone. Who knows what environmental conditions the phone was exposed to before you bought it?
Search on these 3 terms for details:
iphone humidity specification
More info…
If you look at the iPhone specifications, you will note that they clearly state “Relative humidity: 5% to 95% NONCONDENSING” as an operational and storage environmental requirement. (because condensation on the moisture strips will activate them).
This means if you EVER expose the phone to atmospheric conditions in which atmospheric condensation can occur (which is common in many places around the world) regardless if the temperature is kept within specified limits you still run the risk of:
=Instant “warranty violation”!!!
In fact, it’s even POSSIBLE that those moisture strips in some of the phones have already been activated by the time you buy the phone. Who knows what environmental conditions the phone was exposed to before you bought it?
Search on these 3 terms for details:
iphone humidity specification
Rubbing alcohol (the most common type) is 30% water and will activate the sensors. 99% alcohol is much less likely to do so, but it is much more likely to damage the exterior of common plastic devices, and could damage device displays as well.
Condensation (water) may also form when you use compressed air to clean out a device. The air comes out of the can quite a bit colder (especially if you tilt the can incorrectly and the “air” causes frost to form)…than the surrounding air, and cools the device (and the moisture strips). This causes atmospheric water to condense on the cooled parts…
=Instant “warranty violation”!!!
Same thing happens when you bring your phone from outside cold air to an inside warm and slightly humid building. Water will condense on the cold parts, outside AND inside the phone. So if you expose your phone to the cold as you walk around, then go inside to warm up…
=Instant “warranty violation”!!!
(note: it used to be that devices had some immunity because they had a warning that told users to let the devices acclimate before using them after coming in from the cold. But now, devices such as phones, ipods, etc. are ALWAYS on to some degree. So, they never have a chance to “acclimate” before power is applied.
The sensors provide too many “false positives” to be reliable, and as a scientist from a major corporation I can state that Apple engineers (and almost certainly the exectives) MUST know this!
Rubbing alcohol (the most common type) is 30% water and will activate the sensors. 99% alcohol is much less likely to do so, but it is much more likely to damage the exterior of common plastic devices, and could damage device displays as well.
Condensation (water) may also form when you use compressed air to clean out a device. The air comes out of the can quite a bit colder (especially if you tilt the can incorrectly and the “air” causes frost to form)…than the surrounding air, and cools the device (and the moisture strips). This causes atmospheric water to condense on the cooled parts…
=Instant “warranty violation”!!!
Same thing happens when you bring your phone from outside cold air to an inside warm and slightly humid building. Water will condense on the cold parts, outside AND inside the phone. So if you expose your phone to the cold as you walk around, then go inside to warm up…
=Instant “warranty violation”!!!
(note: it used to be that devices had some immunity because they had a warning that told users to let the devices acclimate before using them after coming in from the cold. But now, devices such as phones, ipods, etc. are ALWAYS on to some degree. So, they never have a chance to “acclimate” before power is applied.
The sensors provide too many “false positives” to be reliable, and as a scientist from a major corporation I can state that Apple engineers (and almost certainly the exectives) MUST know this!
One more from Apple: Have an iPhone? Don't sweat on it or you might void your warranty http://bit.ly/xrND8 #iPhone #MoistureSensor
[...] Except, reality breaks down within the Church of Apple. If a Mac user has a problem, you can rest assured that she will blame herself. You just know, after all, that a technical glitch couldn’t possibly be because Apple made a mistake, or the product contains a flaw. Apple merchandise is loving crafted and precisely engineered! And the omnisicient Steve Jobs thinks of absolutely everything! [...]
I,too, went to the Apple store to have a iphone problem fixed and was told my warranty was invalidated due to moisture.
I then called AT&T to let them know I was cancelling my service (after 20 plus years). Of course, they routed me to their save team. The skillful representative asked me if I lived in the Midwest (high humidity…). When I replied “yes”, he suggested I put my iphone in a dish of plain, white rice overnight. Rice, he explained, has the same moisture absorbing properties as the little pellet bags that are shipped with new electronic packaging.
So, it worked. Now, every night when I plug my iPhone in, I put it in a bag of rice – works fine until I can upgrade to the new phone next March.
@Al,
Al,
I’m not sure what you’re saying. Can you please clarify? Thanks.
Are you saying:
1) that putting the phone in the rice restored the water sensor strips to “normal” and AT&T was then willing to service/replace the mis-behaving phone?
or,
2) that after you got a fixed/replacement phone you started using the rice and since then you haven’t had any problems?
or,
3) that you placed your “bad” phone in the rice and the problem (whatever it was) went away and it no longer needed repair?
#3.
I have the same problem intermittently. I have called AT&T once and Apple once to resolve. They are reluctant to accept that moisture is causing the problem. So, I’ll just keep using the rice until I can upgrade without a big charge
I,too, went to the Apple store to have a iphone problem fixed and was told my warranty was invalidated due to moisture.
I then called AT&T; to let them know I was cancelling my service (after 20 plus years). Of course, they routed me to their save team. The skillful representative asked me if I lived in the Midwest (high humidity…). When I replied “yes”, he suggested I put my iphone in a dish of plain, white rice overnight. Rice, he explained, has the same moisture absorbing properties as the little pellet bags that are shipped with new electronic packaging.
So, it worked. Now, every night when I plug my iPhone in, I put it in a bag of rice – works fine until I can upgrade to the new phone next March.
@Al,
Al,
I’m not sure what you’re saying. Can you please clarify? Thanks.
Are you saying:
1) that putting the phone in the rice restored the water sensor strips to “normal” and AT&T was then willing to service/replace the mis-behaving phone?
or,
2) that after you got a fixed/replacement phone you started using the rice and since then you haven’t had any problems?
or,
3) that you placed your “bad” phone in the rice and the problem (whatever it was) went away and it no longer needed repair?
#3.
I have the same problem intermittently. I have called AT&T once and Apple once to resolve. They are reluctant to accept that moisture is causing the problem. So, I’ll just keep using the rice until I can upgrade without a big charge
[...] news is that the iPhone also comes with four moisture sensors, and if any of them are activated, the warranty is void. You better stock up on that Saran Wrap, [...]
I am really pissed right now, I have a 3gs its only about 2 months old, I live in Miami out of all places, so as you can imagine there is plenty of moisture, apple pisses me off a walk from my door to my car turns my rolex foggy who the hell are they to say that the water sensor that is pretty much exposed to everything from the outside world voids my warranty, they have to work on making their products more water resistant and stop screwing over good people, I know 6 people with fairly new iphones and all their water sensors are red, like I said this is Miami we live on top of a pave over swamp, I may not get far but I will make apple pay I found someone that replaces water sensors fairly cheap so I will be getting a new phone, and I am going to encourage everyone who reads this to throw their phone in the toilet replace the water sensors and enjoy a brand new 3gs on account of apple, maybe then they will consider making their phones a little more water resistant and stop screwing over good people, as for now apple will be paying for mines and all my friends new Iphones
I am really pissed right now, I have a 3gs its only about 2 months old, I live in Miami out of all places, so as you can imagine there is plenty of moisture, apple pisses me off a walk from my door to my car turns my rolex foggy who the hell are they to say that the water sensor that is pretty much exposed to everything from the outside world voids my warranty, they have to work on making their products more water resistant and stop screwing over good people, I know 6 people with fairly new iphones and all their water sensors are red, like I said this is Miami we live on top of a pave over swamp, I may not get far but I will make apple pay I found someone that replaces water sensors fairly cheap so I will be getting a new phone, and I am going to encourage everyone who reads this to throw their phone in the toilet replace the water sensors and enjoy a brand new 3gs on account of apple, maybe then they will consider making their phones a little more water resistant and stop screwing over good people, as for now apple will be paying for mines and all my friends new Iphones
Diggs: My wife and I have both had the same problem you did. Neither of our phones got wet, but of course the Apple people did not believe us. Like you, I think the sensor is overly sensitive to moisture, to put it mildly. I can understand it when someone drops their phone in water, and that’s a valid case for discontinuing the warranty. Based on our experiences with Apple employees, their unwillingness to consider our side of the story, to essentially call us liars, shows that they have dealt with this problem numerous times, and that they have been schooled by the corporate office in how to deal with offenders like us.
Diggs: My wife and I have both had the same problem you did. Neither of our phones got wet, but of course the Apple people did not believe us. Like you, I think the sensor is overly sensitive to moisture, to put it mildly. I can understand it when someone drops their phone in water, and that’s a valid case for discontinuing the warranty. Based on our experiences with Apple employees, their unwillingness to consider our side of the story, to essentially call us liars, shows that they have dealt with this problem numerous times, and that they have been schooled by the corporate office in how to deal with offenders like us.
I am having the same issue with Apple right now with my 1 month old 3G S. Please see my blog post. Help expose the fraud!
I am having the same issue with Apple right now with my 1 month old 3G S. Please see my blog post. Help expose the fraud!
[...] actually did a story about this exact issue which also happened to this blogger. Since then, Apple has revised its policy to allow you to replace the phone for $199, but in many [...]
Hi EDowney. Read my update on this post. That is exactly what happened for the most part.
This is a deceptive business practice on the part of Apple. But there IS hope. I had this same issue after just 5 months with the phone as well. There is a HUGE difference between “immersed in water” and a little moisture near a sensor that is practically on the outside of the phone.
Here’s what you do: Insist that they open your phone and view the internal sensors. What the 3rd Apple Tech Support Rep I spoke to did for me was make me a deal, ie if the internal sensors were white, proving that my phone was not immersed, he would replace it for free. If they were also red like the one at the charging port, then I would have to pay 199. Lo and behold, the internal sensors were white proving what I had been saying all along, that I had NEVER IMMERSED my iPhone in water. Don’t give up, go to different Apple stores see different tech support agents, be persistent don’t let Apple defraud you out of the warranty you deserve.
This is a deceptive business practice on the part of Apple. But there IS hope. I had this same issue after just 5 months with the phone as well. There is a HUGE difference between “immersed in water” and a little moisture near a sensor that is practically on the outside of the phone.
Here’s what you do: Insist that they open your phone and view the internal sensors. What the 3rd Apple Tech Support Rep I spoke to did for me was make me a deal, ie if the internal sensors were white, proving that my phone was not immersed, he would replace it for free. If they were also red like the one at the charging port, then I would have to pay 199. Lo and behold, the internal sensors were white proving what I had been saying all along, that I had NEVER IMMERSED my iPhone in water. Don’t give up, go to different Apple stores see different tech support agents, be persistent don’t let Apple defraud you out of the warranty you deserve.
With a pin hole size red mark on the moisture indicator at the bottom of my phone I have spent an inordinate amount of time freaking out, blogging, and pursuing recourse for an iPhone I KNOW has never been exposed to water. After 2 days of frustration, 2 visits to the Apple Store, 5 Tech Support agents, and finally 1 Customer Relations representative, I will be picking up a replacement iPhone from the Apple Store later on today.
The remedy to my plight came in the form of a customer service representative named Tiffany. I explained my situation to her. We politely went back and forth over Apple’s policies. And ultimately when I convinced her that I’m not trying to defraud Apple, I’m just looking for some service, she made me an exception and is getting me a new phone.
What was so different about Tiffany than the 4 others I spoke with on the phone and the two in the store? Tiffany works in the “Customer Relations” Call Center. Not “Tech Support”. For some reason the Tech Support guys don’t know to transfer you there when you want to file a complaint. How does one get to Apple Customer Relations? You either need to get to a savvy agent on the Tech Suppport line, or ask for Customer Relations by name.
Call 800-275-2273 which is the Apl Care line. Keep hitting the zero prompt to get you to the main switch board agent. Then ask for “Customer Relations”. These folks have the power to override Apple policy and provide you with service.
Tiffany has restored my faith in Apple. It shouldn’t have taken 2 days of pain. Moisture indicators shouldn’t be placed on the outside of electronic devices. But it would seem that somewhere inside the company this is a known and common occurrence and they are willing to work with people who are not abusing the system or trying to defraud the company.
Thank goodness! Deep breath! What do you know? The sun just came out too.
With a pin hole size red mark on the moisture indicator at the bottom of my phone I have spent an inordinate amount of time freaking out, blogging, and pursuing recourse for an iPhone I KNOW has never been exposed to water. After 2 days of frustration, 2 visits to the Apple Store, 5 Tech Support agents, and finally 1 Customer Relations representative, I will be picking up a replacement iPhone from the Apple Store later on today.
The remedy to my plight came in the form of a customer service representative named Tiffany. I explained my situation to her. We politely went back and forth over Apple’s policies. And ultimately when I convinced her that I’m not trying to defraud Apple, I’m just looking for some service, she made me an exception and is getting me a new phone.
What was so different about Tiffany than the 4 others I spoke with on the phone and the two in the store? Tiffany works in the “Customer Relations” Call Center. Not “Tech Support”. For some reason the Tech Support guys don’t know to transfer you there when you want to file a complaint. How does one get to Apple Customer Relations? You either need to get to a savvy agent on the Tech Suppport line, or ask for Customer Relations by name.
Call 800-275-2273 which is the Apl Care line. Keep hitting the zero prompt to get you to the main switch board agent. Then ask for “Customer Relations”. These folks have the power to override Apple policy and provide you with service.
Tiffany has restored my faith in Apple. It shouldn’t have taken 2 days of pain. Moisture indicators shouldn’t be placed on the outside of electronic devices. But it would seem that somewhere inside the company this is a known and common occurrence and they are willing to work with people who are not abusing the system or trying to defraud the company.
Thank goodness! Deep breath! What do you know? The sun just came out too.
Thanks @littletechgirl this made me feel a little better, great info on #iPhone Moisture Sensor see update at bottom: http://bit.ly/QfSCg
@brimes O rlly?? Check out my blog at . I hd the same thg happen & went through quite a bit! http://bit.ly/QfSCg. & read the updates #iphone
For a Class Action to be considered by any state enough people must file a complaint with their
attorney general, or someone needs to find an attorney to handle this. Good luck.
For a Class Action to be considered by any state enough people must file a complaint with their
attorney general, or someone needs to find an attorney to handle this. Good luck.