Apple to settle suit over "water damaged" phones

[Mayhem]

I wonder what, if anything, this means for Android users who have had warranty repairs denied due to the moisture indicator showing water...

Link to article

From the article:

The customers covered in the class are those who were denied warranty repairs or replacements on certain iOS devices because of Apple's liquid damage policy; if a white liquid contact indicator (LCI) tape near the headphone jack or dock connector had turned pink or red due to moisture, Apple would refuse service. But, as noted by Wired, the maker of the tape (3M) has stated that the indicator can be triggered by humidity, not necessarily water itself, meaning the tape could potentially turn pink without contact with the liquid form of H20.

Relevant part is 3M's statement. Emphasis is mine.

 

[gtbarry]

I think the key is the humidity trigger.

The only android phone I know of that used anything similar had it internal and thus not as susceptible to air moisture.

Do many android phones even use this? or something like it?

 

[Mayhem]

I thought all of the cellphones used something like this. At one point they were easy to "fix" to where the pink dye could be hidden. I know on my old-skool RAZR I was able to take a hole punch, punch out a new white disc and glue it to the old moisture indicator. Thus hiding the fact that I dropped it in the tub when giving my son a bath. (Never put a phone in your shirt pocket!)

The mfgs got smarter and now they have red plus signs on a field of white, and are more like a piece of tape.

I recall reading a thread here on AF where someone had an issue with being denied warranty work because the indicator (allegedly) gave a false indication of moisture. The belief was that it was due to humidity but the user got nowhere with Verizon.

 

[Mayhem]

..if not plus signs on a white background then a really, really small white dot that changes to pink or red..

 

[gtbarry]

hhmmmm I guess I just don't hear about it as much with Android as I do on apple phones. On a side note, I quite commonly hear about the tech support people using a flashlight to look down in the headphone hole to check for water damage.

 

[Omar Days]

Is this it? If so, humidity's got to it then because this phone has never had water damage.

 

[rod9669]

That's more than likely a screw head cover - if it's been removed to get at the screw then they know it has, potentially, been opened

 

[Rush]

Thread moved.

 

[zuben el genub]

Fairly common for some GSM phones. I've had some new, never got near water, and the stupid sticker was pink. One was a Behold, I forget what the others were. Lots of complaints from TMOUS users for a while.

The 6085 was a refurb - from water damage. Stated so on the sale. They can't change the sticker back.
However, I got that phone used in 2009 and it's still going.

 

[dan330]

I think the key is the humidity trigger.

The only android phone I know of that used anything similar had it internal and thus not as susceptible to air moisture.

Do many android phones even use this? or something like it?

unless the phone is air tight.. then no air can get in our out..
then humidity can not get in our out.

but if that was the case.. then the phone would also be water proof too some extent. which would make the phone protected from water damage.

yes.. in our phones.. there are water indicators/stickers.. they have hidden them better.
and i have heard of people who claim to get false readings and denied warranty.

 

[general eclect]

I know of a Samsung (don't know which model) that was accidently dropped down the gap between a lift and the floor whilst the doors were open, and of course as luck would have it the lift shaft had a couple of feet of water sitting at the bottom as the pump had broken. After sitting in cruddy water for more than two weeks the phone was left to sit for a week and then switched on. it worked perfectly...

 

[zuben el genub]

In some of these phones, the SD card went under or just over the SIM. If you wanted to change the card for any reason, or you had to do a battery pull ---

The case was opened.

 

[Mayhem]

Here's what it looks like on a Droid 2:

And on the Thunderbolt: