Apple’s Updated Guidelines on Wet Phones: What to Do (and Not to Do)
It’s a scenario many have faced: you’re innocently scrolling through your phone when, suddenly, it slips from your grasp and plunges into the toilet bowl. Before you can utter, “My phone is wet,” someone – be it a friend, family member, or even the internet – will likely advise you to hastily submerge it in a bowl of dry, uncooked rice. The idea? The rice will absorb the moisture, saving your device from potential damage.
However, Apple has recently addressed this standard advice in updated guidelines for dealing with wet phones. Their first recommendation is to gently tap the phone with the connector pointing downwards to remove excess moisture. Afterward, they suggest waiting for half an hour before attempting to charge it again.
What Not to Do: Apple ‘s Cautionary Advice
In their guidelines, Apple also warns against specific actions. Using external heat sources, swabs, or paper towels to dry the device is strongly discouraged. Notably, they explicitly advise against the rice method, noting that rice particles could further harm the phone.
The Truth About Rice: A Semi-Scientific Test
While the rice hack has been a longstanding belief, its efficacy has been questioned. In a semi-scientific test conducted by Gazelle in 2014, various drying agents, including rice, couscous, oatmeal, silica gel, and even cat litter, were compared. Surprisingly, uncooked rice absorbed the least amount of water in 24 hours.
Interestingly, the experiment revealed that leaving the phone exposed to air performed better than any of the drying agents tested. Thus, the experimenters suggested that simply leaving the phone on a shelf might be a more effective strategy.
In conclusion, while the rice method may have historical roots, there are more effective ways to dry a wet phone according to Apple’s updated guidelines and semi-scientific experiments.
Read the original article on Giz Modo.
Raed more: Unveiling the Rice Washing Dilemma: To Wash or Not to Wash?
