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Dropped in the water: Shouldn't bother modern iPhones - if the conditions are right
Photo: Chaiyaporn1144 / Getty Images / iStockphoto
For misleading information about some iPhone models, the Italian competition regulator has imposed a fine of ten million euros on Apple.
The AGCM (Autorità Garante della Concorrenza e del Mercato) complained that Apple had emphasized on its Italian website and on YouTube that the iPhones of the 8, X and 11 series were waterproof, without indicating that the relevant tests were carried out under laboratory conditions have been (PDF).
In advertising, the devices were said to be able to withstand 30 minutes undamaged in water depths of one and four meters, depending on the model.
At the same time, however, a disclaimer was added, according to which the guarantee does not cover damage caused by liquids.
Apple technicians can easily identify such damage, since iPhones have been equipped with so-called liquid sensors since 2006, which use a discoloration to indicate when they have come into contact with a liquid.
The authority complains that the waterproofness promised by Apple does not refer to real conditions that users would encounter in everyday life.
For example, salt water from the sea can damage electronic devices much more than pure fresh water used in laboratory tests, because it can lead to corrosion and short circuits in the device.
Soapy water also has completely different properties than fresh water, which is why you should avoid taking a cell phone into the bathtub or dropping it into the rinse water when washing dishes.
Better not to take it with you for diving
In its complaint, the Italian authority lists the reports of several customers who feel they have been duped by Apple's advertising.
One user reports that his iPhone XS Max 64 GB quit service after taking pictures with it during a short dive in the sea.
Apple did not see a warranty case in it, the user had to pay 640 euros for a replacement device.
In this support document, Apple explains in detail which liquids you can and should not expose an iPhone to, and explains what to do if the device does get wet.
Incidentally, the same document is also available in Italian.
In the small print on the technical data of the iPhones, the company has also been pointing out for some time that the tests for water resistance were carried out under laboratory conditions, according to which standards these tests were carried out and that this protection can be reduced by "wear and tear".
According to the AGCM's wishes, Apple is now to add a link to information on the procedure on its Italian website under the heading "Information on consumer protection".
Apple has 60 days to appeal the decision.
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