Serving tech enthusiasts for over 25 years.
TechSpot means tech analysis and advice you can trust.
The big picture: Water and electronics don't mix. When the two come into contact by accident – like when your friend shoves you into the pool with your phone in your pocket – it can be a stressful situation, even if your device claims to be water resistant. Now, there's a new ally in the fight against H2O that many are swearing by.
Consumers are increasingly turning to YouTube videos that claim to be able to remove water from your device using sound. The idea works much like the water eject feature on the Apple Watch. The YouTube clip plays a specific tone that causes the phone's speaker to move, generating a tiny amount of airflow that pushes droplets of water out.
Intrigued, The Verge reached out to iFixit to help test the idea. In short, it does work, but your mileage will vary.
For starters, smartphones have varying degrees of water resistance (if any at all). Models with higher ratings will obviously hold up better than those with zero protection. But it's also important to remember that water resistance degrades with age, and devices that have previously been opened or exhibit physical damage might not be able to keep water out at all.
While the YouTube video trick works in the same way as the Apple Watch feature, the two aren't the same. Apple designed its smartwatch with the water eject feature in mind. It's a small device with few cavities for water to hide in. A smartphone, on the other hand, is massive in comparison and there are plenty of nooks and crannies for liquid to get lodged in.
In short, the YouTube method won't be able to get all of the water out of your phone. As a last resort or in an emergency, however, it's worth a try.
It goes without saying that the best course of action is prevention – that is, keeping your phone out of situations that could result in it getting wet in the first place. You'd be surprised how many comments on YouTube involve dropping a device in the bathtub or shower.