It’s certainly shocking news. Apple has issued a warning to users that they might experience a mild electrical shock from the earbuds of their iPods or iPhones.
According to the company, which stresses that the situation can occur with any hardware:
“When using headphones in areas where the air is very dry, it is easy to build up static electricity and possible for your ear to receive a small electrostatic discharge from the headphones. Receiving a static shock from a pair of earbuds does not necessarily indicate an issue with the iPod, iPhone, or earbuds.”
“This condition is very similar to dragging your feet across a carpet and receiving a static shock by touching a door knob. However, instead of the static charge building up on your body, the charge builds up on the device that the earbuds are connected to. Likewise, instead of the static buildup discharging through your finger when you touch a door knob, it discharges through the earbuds.”
Very dry, and very windy, environments are conducive to a build up of static electricity. So Apple is recommending avoiding those, as well as not taking your device in and out of your pocket too much, and wearing natural instead of synthetic fibers. Humidifiers and ant-static spray can help, too.
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