Mobile Phone Water Detection and Warranties

I have never been a fan of the extra insurance and junk that companies try to sell you. For example, when I bought my phone, they tried to sell me an insurance plan, but, when I calculated it all up, by the time I paid all the monthly fees and would have had to pay a deductible, if I even qualified to replace the phone after all their exclusions with a refurbished model, I would have owed more than just buying a new phone for its retail value.

I learned an interesting thing about those warranties today that I didn’t know before. Most phones (also laptops and other devices), today, have a sticker, usually on the electronics and inside of the battery compartment. This sticker is white when new. It turns red when exposed to moisture. I opened up my phone and found the sticker… sure enough, it’s mostly white, but a little pink.. I’d presume from the normal living, condensation, and use it goes through. Take a look at your phone, there’s usually a white (or red/pink) sticker if you take off the battery from your phone.

It’s interesting to note that people are having their warranties voided with this sticker. Some, I presume, should be voided, but others, I presume, are voided for just the daily use. Don’t use your phone in the rain, bring it in from temperature changes (i.e our Minnesota winters), sweat, or, well… on second thought, just keep the phone zipped up in an airtight zip-lock bag. Alternatively, is it really worth getting that warranty? Or maybe as others do, put scotch tape on the stickers to preserve them, and have proof that they were dry if you do have a claim for when a fraudulent company gets it wet so they can get more business. In any case, it’s an interesting thing I didn’t know before. Apparently, Apple’s trying to patent several new sensors such as thermal and shock sensors for their electronics and mobile devices. They’ll be able to tell what you’re doing in what environments… I can understand it from their point of view, but I also think, in general, the extra insurance are for the most part, a rip-off, and wow, as if they don’t have enough data, there’s a lot more for them to collect on everyone.

Enjoy the tidbit, I know I did, knowing what those stickers were for.