iPhone's LSI delivers unjustified judgement

[JayBern]

For countries with high humidity level; Apple's warranty states that it does not warrant for phones that are water damaged. This would be base on the color of the Liquid Submersion Indicator (LSI) located at the bottom of your 3.5mm jack. No need for me to explain that but for the benefit of the people who don't know what is it, it is an indicator that changes its color from silver/white (when there is no sufficient water that contacted its surface) to red (when there it is being contacted by water). This serves as a guide for Apple to be sure that the device was water logged and it is because of the user's negligence and not because of Apple's manufacturing defect or poor workmanship or just a simple malfunction of say the home button.

[ Location of LSI ]

Here's what happened to one of our fellow Apple fan here in Singapore..

Just got my iphone 3g unresponsive home button warranty claim from Apple (Singtel) rejected.
They claim that my Iphone warranty was void because the bottom Liquid Submersion Indicator(LSI) is red.

I swear it wasn't dropped in water, I didn't get caught in the rain etc. but no use. Asked them could it be humidity? Apple and Singtel said the liquid indicator will not activate due to humidity and denied me warranty service.
Only solution? Pay $350 for a replacement. No fixes for iphone in SG, only replacement.

Basically I was treated like a liar because i swear my iphone was never submerged, Apple and Singtel swear it was (else the indicator won't activate).

LLPL, i go home, suck thumb and pray my iphone home button won't die completely.

Thinking about getting the 3gs but decided that better find out what exactly triggers the LSI.

Adding on to that, he added his very own research to share with us.

From Apple website article entitled iPhone and iPod: Water damage is not covered by warranty:
support.apple.com/kb/HT3302

iPhone and iPod products are equipped with liquid submersion indicators. The liquid submersion indicator will be activated when it comes in direct contact with liquid. The indicators are designed not to be triggered by humidity and temperature changes that are within the product's environmental requirements described by Apple."

What are the technical specs? We can find out in this link on Apple website on Iphone Technical Specifications:
support.apple.com/kb/SP495

Environmental requirements
* Operating temperature: 32° to 95° F
(0° to 35° C)
* Nonoperating temperature: -4° to 113° F
(-20° to 45° C)
* Relative humidity: 5% to 95% noncondensing

Next question is Singapore climate humidity within 5% to 95%?

From NEA.gov.sg on humidity in Singapore:
app.nea.gov.sg/cms/htdocs/article.asp?pid=1088

RELATIVE HUMIDITY: Diurnal range in the high 90's in the early morning to around 60 % in the mid-afternoon. Mean value is 84%, During prolonged heavy rain, relative humidity often reaches 100 %.

In summary, Liquid Submersion Indicator (LSI) will not trigger within * Relative humidity: 5% to 95% noncondensing , BUT Singapore humidity relative humidity often reaches 100 %.

This means that in SG humidity, esp. during monsoon season, our iphones 3G and 3GS LSI could be triggered, thereby voiding our warranty.

True enough, Singapore's humidity level rises tremendously during the monsoon seasons and seldom even off monsoon seasons. Not because we bring the phone under rain (running under heavy pours) but because of the humidity.

Apart from the humidity, the location of the LSI is just too "open".

The LSI has been in phones that has removable batteries and most of the time it is being covered by the battery itself and then one more time by the phone's back cover/battery cover. The iPhone does not have a removable battery and thus having the LSI in a potential area where water may seep in when its is being submerged in water. However the location is just too open and could be indicating red for the wrong reasons; humidity. Could be vapour, could be condensation, both are very closely related to humidity, and the fact remains that it's not designed for our climate (morning air and rainy days).

The issue here is that since the LSI of iPhones isn't designed to work in humid countries like Singapore, it is unfair to void the warranty support fully relying on the LSI. Apple's own design specifications already states that the LSI is not guaranteed to not trigger in humidity above 95%.

96-100% relative humidity is very common for Singapore. The iPhone's LSI in Singapore high humidity, could very well be triggered by humidity and temperature changes due to the climate as our countries relative humidity often reaches 100%; already more than enough to exceed the Apple's designed relative humidity: 5% to 95% noncondensing and end up voiding the warranty to damages that may not even be caused by water damage/corrosion due to water submersion.

It is just wrong for Apple and it's service provider, Singtel to refuse warranty service just simply based on the LSI in a humid country/climate like ours.

I work Mac, play Mac, and with iphone, live Mac, as do many others. But that doesn't mean we cannot say anything and bring this to their attention.

Maybe Apple did design the LSI without thinking of our country and regional humidity, and they told Singtel and all it's providers to void warranty if it is red. So Singtel will also happily follow directions.

I do see a happy solution, I don't believe it's a conspiracy to cheat our warranty, probably more an oversight.

So, Apple and Singtel, the solution is just don't use the LSI to decide in accepting or rejecting warranty. There are other methods to check a valid warranty claim. Treat us customers fairly.

Apple fans new and old, are some of the most hardcore in the world, it would be silly and extremely short sighted to treat them, like the guy who was 1st in line for the iphone, carelessly.

Thank you guys for your suggestions!

My opinion is the best way for a resolution is to treat Apple and Singtel with integrity and hope that they will treat us, their customers the same way. Hopefully no need for lawsuits and SCT.

I don't deserve a million dollars for this.

I do deserve, and so do all the iPhone, iPod, Mac users whose device LSI has been triggered unfairly, our warranty support from Apple.

Disclaimer
All research credits goes to projectasterix @ [ame=http://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/showthread.php?t=2427063]HardwareZone[/ame].
A few parts of this whole post comes straight from his post apart from the quote boxes.
The rest are written by myself.

[Ad1tya]

I wonder what this means for us in India too, since during the monsoons we have 100% Humidity as well.

Although, Im pretty sure my phone's LSI is still not red, because I looked at the one in the dock a few days back, and its fine till now.

[twalker3rd]

Something else to keep in mind if you exercise, run, bike, that type of thing. I had my 1st gen iPhone in an arm band while running on a treadmill. The thing started acting funny and then winked out. I took it to the Apple Store. they were going to replace it until the looked into the headphone jack and saw red. They would have replaced it at a reduced price, $250. The iPhone 3G was getting ready to come out for $299. I decided to wait. The old one did start working again after about 4 days.

Main thing that I am saying is to be carefull if you exercise with it.

Trey