Water damaged iPhone 3G S...is data destroyed??

[Hittdog]

Unfortunately, I got pushed into a swimming pool at a BBQ yesterday. My iPhone 3G S was in my pocket. It's completely ruined. I'm thinking of selling it on eBay for whatever someone will pay for it (upgraded to an iPhone 4). Is the data destroyed, or could someone conceivably retrieve my info from it?

Thoughts?

 

[bandphan]

I'm posting in the pool right now. I've took a couple of phones in the ocean by accident and when the salt and battery mix it burns. I check my pockets now. As for the data that's a 50 50.

 

[markw]

I don't use one, but maybe I can point you in the right direction.

Check the Apple website. My wife has an Iphone and she backs up her phone somewhere in there. She's also restored stuff from there, at least apps, Itunes, and her contact list.

Of course, you may (or may not) have had to save it with them to begin with. That's why you should check with Apple.

 

[pzaur]

Have you tried resurrecting your phone? Stick it in a bowl of rice for a few days and see if that pulls that water out. Make sure the battery is disconnected, also. Do NOT use a hair dryer. That will only push the water into the central portions and crevices of the phone.

-pat

 

[bmurphy2121]

I have an iPhone and mine has froze on me before and lost everything but as long as you have backed it up through itunes on a regular basis you will still have all you info saved in there no matter if you switch phones or not all your info will be there. The only stuff that wont be there is the stuff that has been added after the update of the phone.

 

[Hittdog]

I've already replaced the damaged phone with a new iPhone 4 and restored my data merely by connecting the new phone to iTunes. That's not really my main concern.

I want to sell the old water damaged phone on eBay, but I'm worried about someone being able to recover data from it, like passwords, social security number, etc. Would they be able to do so even though the phone is 100% non-functioning

 

[Seth=L]

Is the battery user accessible?

My friend was in the pool for 10 minutes with his Blackberry in his pocket before it started vibrating (happens when the phone shorts out). He took the battery out and kept the back cover off and put it in a bowl of rice for 4 days, the phone turned on, but the screen didn't. Two days later, the screen worked and the phone is fully functional now.

Some phones won't reactivate on their own if they've had an error like this. Some cellular providers (Verizon is the only one I know in particular) will not reactivate the phone and will claim that even though the phone appears to be fully functional, the part that is required for service is damaged because the water damage indication paper has changed color. This is illogical since the whole phone is pretty much all one pressed board. T-Mobile uses SIM cards, so getting around this [customer service] problem is much easier.

 

[Hittdog]

Have you tried resurrecting your phone? Stick it in a bowl of rice for a few days and see if that pulls that water out. Make sure the battery is disconnected, also. Do NOT use a hair dryer. That will only push the water into the central portions and crevices of the phone.

-pat

I'm giving the rice bowl thing a shot, but I didn't disconnect the battery, as I'd have to take the phone apart completely. Fingers crossed...

 

[Seth=L]

I'm giving the rice bowl thing a shot, but I didn't disconnect the battery, as I'd have to take the phone apart completely. Fingers crossed...

If you can remove the battery I would recommend doing so. If you don't know how to safely open the phone, then don't.

I told my friend to remove the battery from his phone immediately after getting out of the pool, it's possible it's too late. Because the battery is a constant source of power and the water is causing a short the battery is going to keep supplying power until the battery fails (which could be exhibited by combustion, leaking, or dying) or if the short is opened. If the short is opened by drying, fine, but if it is opened by basically burning through a circuit, then the phone is toasted I'm afraid.

The biggest downside to iPhones in my opinion is the lack of a user accessible battery, for more than just this reason.

 

[vikebrian84]

The main thing is not trying to turn on your phone at all then leaving it in the rice as long as possible to get all of the moisture out before you try to turn it on. There is always hope, ive actualy saved 2 phones with the rice trick.

 

[Hittdog]

The main thing is not trying to turn on your phone at all then leaving it in the rice as long as possible to get all of the moisture out before you try to turn it on. There is always hope, ive actualy saved 2 phones with the rice trick.

I guess I'll check on it later today...crazier things have happened!

 

[Seth=L]

I'd wait a week.

 

[BoobyBushy]

Let the phone sit on absorbent towels, napkin, or other paper

 

[interconnect]

Did you ever connect it to your computer? If so then you most likely have a backup of all your data.

 

[leousm]

I'm giving the rice bowl thing a shot, but I didn't disconnect the battery, as I'd have to take the phone apart completely. Fingers crossed...

I've seen several news articles about this and it seems to work in some cases. You should leave it in the zip-lock with rice for a few days, at least 48-72 hours.

If it doesn't, you should anyway try to see if it's just the screen that isn't turning on. You could possibly restore it (and thus wipe the contents) by connecting it to iTunes even if you can't see what's going on on the iPhoe screen itself. It's worth a shot.

 

[Hittdog]

Well, after putting the phone in rice for a few days, I was able to charge it up and power it on. The screen's backlight appeared to be ruined, but if the phone was held under a light or at an angle, the display could be seen. Long story short, I wiped the phone, reinstalled iOS, and sold it on eBay for $250. All's well that ends well!

 

[markw]

I hope you warned the buyer about the funky display.

To not do so is dirty pool.

 

[Hittdog]

I hope you warned the buyer about the funky display.

To not do so is dirty pool.

Obviously. The guy has been buying up water damaged iPhones, so I assume he knows how to fix them...

 

[dkane360]

I hope you warned the buyer about the funky display.

To not do so is dirty pool.

I sold a psp on ebay with a broken screen for more than fully functioning psp's were going for at the time lol.

And to the OP, nice save! I tried saving my brothers ipod nano with the rice trick, but the combination of the washer and dryer had done it in

 

[SocyFisher]

Obviously. The guy has been buying up water damaged iPhones, so I assume he knows how to fix them...

I guess that's a good news for you. It is just disappointing that most electronic products especially phones does not cover water damage. You could have at least return it and have a new one, so that really gave you the least option in selling it through eBay.