Should I lie (by omission) to Apple?

smakme7757

Golden Member
Nov 20, 2010
1,487
1
81
There will most likely be signs of water damage, so I'd bet you're out of luck. But no harm in trying if the phone doesn't work.

Either way, if you had of dropped it in a fire they still would have said it's got water damage. I don't think I've ever gotten a phone replaced even when I've purchased phone insurance. The declining reason is always water damage.

With that being said Apple is currently paying out $53 million to people for faulty water sensors (because of declined repair due to water damage):
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323855804578511720535072276.html
 
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styrafoam

Platinum Member
Jun 18, 2002
2,684
0
0
I believe that most modern smart phones have moisture sensors, if the phone was submerged they will know.
 

Kadarin

Lifer
Nov 23, 2001
44,296
15
81
My understanding is that there are internal sensors. The best you can do is try, not say anything specific (i.e. don't lie), and see if they'll replace the phone.
 

RampantAndroid

Diamond Member
Jun 27, 2004
6,591
3
81
No? By lying you're essentially forcing Apple to replace your phone and either eat that cost, or pass it on to others.
 

Ketchup

Elite Member
Sep 1, 2002
14,553
248
106
My mother dropped hers in water, after which she left it sitting in rice. The phone actually came back to life, but did have some anomalies after that point (I don't remember what they were.)
 

smackababy

Lifer
Oct 30, 2008
27,024
79
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I believe, if you take it into Apple, they will only check the external water sensor and work with you to replace it. Whether that is ethical or not, is debatable. From my recent experiences, even after admitting to dropping my phone, since it showed no external signs of damage, the tech was willing to "forget he heard that".
 

Megatomic

Lifer
Nov 9, 2000
20,127
6
81
I believe, if you take it into Apple, they will only check the external water sensor and work with you to replace it. Whether that is ethical or not, is debatable. From my recent experiences, even after admitting to dropping my phone, since it showed no external signs of damage, the tech was willing to "forget he heard that".
My external sensors were both unaffected, but the Apple Store tech opened my phone and found internal sensors were indicating water damage. Don't lie, they are going to bust you in the end.
 

Ketchup

Elite Member
Sep 1, 2002
14,553
248
106
My external sensors were both unaffected, but the Apple Store tech opened my phone and found internal sensors were indicating water damage. Don't lie, they are going to bust you in the end.

This doesn't surprise me. If you did try this now, I am sure you would only be in the top ten thousand people that have tried this, or something like it.
 
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gus6464

Golden Member
Nov 10, 2005
1,848
32
91
I had an iphone fall in the toilet, took it out and blow dried it and no sensor tripped. Phone turned on and worked fine but the LED flash wouldnt turn off. Took it to apple store and they fixed it. The dude didn't mention anything about water damage. I say don't tell him you dropped it in water unless they tell you.

Edit: BTW it was clean toilet water :D.
 

RampantAndroid

Diamond Member
Jun 27, 2004
6,591
3
81
I believe, if you take it into Apple, they will only check the external water sensor and work with you to replace it. Whether that is ethical or not, is debatable. From my recent experiences, even after admitting to dropping my phone, since it showed no external signs of damage, the tech was willing to "forget he heard that".

My one experience is that I drop my iPad and damaged it. I took in the Apple store showed them the damage switch told him what happened admitted to it and they decided to replace it anyway since I was a good customer (two iphones, twp ipads at the time.) I suggest you don't lie to them, take it in and just show them what happened.
 

Megatomic

Lifer
Nov 9, 2000
20,127
6
81
In my case, I didn't lie but I didn't tell them that I was caught in the rain with the phone either. I just told them it wouldn't power on, they found the problem without my help. :D
 

Rottie

Diamond Member
Feb 10, 2002
4,795
1
81
Now Apple employees and Tim Cook are reading your comments about how lie you guys are…..Their action? They hate you!
 

zylander

Platinum Member
Aug 25, 2002
2,501
0
76
Go for it! My iphone4 got hit with a water balloon. The water sensor didnt trip but it started acting weird and the speaker stopped working. I took it in and said its just acting weird and that I dont know what happened. They gave me a new one on the spot.
 

MrX8503

Diamond Member
Oct 23, 2005
4,529
0
0
Why didn't you purchase Apple Care+ instead of trying to lie to get free service and jack up the price for honest paying customers?
 

Tsavo

Platinum Member
Sep 29, 2009
2,645
37
91
Can't hurt.

You are actively trying to game Apple...which would be morally questionable if Apple hasn't been gaming the IRS for several decades....which they have, so go for it.
 

Rakehellion

Lifer
Jan 15, 2013
12,181
35
91
Should I not tell them about the water and just tell them it started messing up?

Apple is a business, meaning they don't run on the honor system to determine whether they should pay for a repair. A tech at the store will physically examine the device to determine whether it sustained damage that isn't covered under warranty, including checking the water sensors. If there's no sign of abuse, the repair is on them. They don't ask "are you sure you didn't drop this in the toilet?"
 

BrightCandle

Diamond Member
Mar 15, 2007
4,762
0
76
The only legal/moral answer to this of course you must tell Apple why the phone doesn't work, anything else is fraud. Its that simple, the last thing I suspect you want is a conviction.
 

Oyeve

Lifer
Oct 18, 1999
21,995
854
126
For those saying "the cost will be passed on to the customers" How do you quantify that? You honestly think apple would lower any consumer cost if no one lied about how their phone became borked?
 

tim Paul

Banned
May 21, 2013
10
0
0
I do agree that Apple phones have moisture sensors, so you should not tell them about it and see if they could replace it or not.
 

colonelciller

Senior member
Sep 29, 2012
915
0
0
The only legal/moral answer to this of course you must tell Apple why the phone doesn't work, anything else is fraud. Its that simple, the last thing I suspect you want is a conviction.

ahhh, so customers should always be "moral" and "legal" while corporations knowingly break laws every day and do eir best to exploit and lie to customers without being caught.

:whiste: