- Examining certain video clips may aid in safeguarding your water-logged smartphone.
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Mishaps occur swiftly: The smartphone gets drenched in rain excessively, gets soaked while gaming in the bathtub, or sinks into the lake during photo reminding sessions in a canoe. Even if the device is promptly retrieved, the predicament remains: How to tackle the water? Some YouTube videos propose an astonishing solution: Watching these clips is supposed to expel the water from the device.
To inspect if this is legitimate, the experts at iFixit, joining forces with the tech magazine "The Verge", conducted an experiment. A group of smartphones were first immerged in a specific liquid for a minute, then tapped softly to eject some of the liquid. Then, the same water eviction video was played on all of them. After keeping the devices overnight, the experts examined them with a UV lamp to check if the test liquid was still discernible.
Can the videos aid a wet smartphone?
The outcome was both surprising, predictable, and disheartening. Deeply ingrained liquid, naturally, cannot be eliminated by the videos. Yet, it was possible to release some of the liquid nearby the speakers. "I'd say it works to some extent," says iFixit expert Chayton Ritter. However, one of the devices was condemned after the test.
The reason it works is due to the functionality of the clips: The visual aspect doesn't matter. Instead, it's the audio. "It's the deepest tone the speaker can produce, played at the highest volume," explains Eric Freeman, the chief development officer of speaker manufacturer Bose, to "The Verge". "This creates an air flow that forces the trapped water out of the casing."
Audio as the rescuer
Certain devices also embrace this logic intentionally: For instance, the Apple Watch automatically identifies when submerged. The water mode locks the touchscreen to prevent erroneous inputs, and upon shut-off, a sequence of extremely deep tones is emitted - which then visibly expel the water from the smartwatch's speakers.
It appears that smartphone users must resort to YouTube videos for this instead of having the function built-in originally. "There are fewer hollow spaces and holes in the Watch where water can accumulate," explains iFixit's chief engineer Shahram Mokhtari to "The Verge". "On a smartphone, the speakers are only integrated at the top and bottom. Therefore, they can't reach hollow spaces like the SIM card slot. Clearing out these hollow spaces of water is simply not feasible." The critical charging port also cannot be dried with sound.
Properly drying smartphones
Watching the clips can hence be an auxiliary measure to expel the final drop of water from the device. First, you should dry it: If there truly is water within the device, you should switch it off immediately to avoid short circuits - not begin watching video clips right away. Drying in a well-ventilated area is suggested, silica gel can also aid. Apple, for instance, explicitly advises against drying with a hairdryer or rice. Why this can damage the device, you can learn here.
In practice, it's likely to be less vital than one might think. Most modern smartphones are protected against dust and water according to standards like IP67 – and can even withstand minor submersion. However, submerging them is not recommended, especially with older devices. "You seldom encounter truly clean water inside the device," warns expert Ritter. Salt, dirt, and cleaning agents like shampoo can cause the delicate seals to fail. Time also weakens their effectiveness, so a tightly sealed smartphone at the beginning may not be so after three years. It's best to leave your smartphone alone while in the bathtub.
Despite the lack of visual impact, the audio in the YouTube videos indeed plays a crucial role in helping to expel water from the device.As you noted earlier, watching these videos can be a useful auxiliary measure to remove the last drop of water from a wet smartphone. However, it's important to remember that quickly switching off the device to avoid short circuits is crucial before attempting to dry it, and using a hairdryer or rice is not recommended by Apple for drying the device. Other common misconceptions include the belief that submerging modern smartphones with water protection standards like IP67 is safe, but these devices should still be avoided submerging, especially with older models, as the delicate seals can deteriorate over time.
