Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Phones
  3. Mobile
  4. News

An iPhone survived 48 hours in the ocean and retained most of its battery

Add as a preferred source on Google
adrianhancu/123RF

An iPhone 7 went for a dive, and lived a full 48 hours in the water to tell the tale. In what may be the most impressive story about a waterproof case ever, a scuba diver found a very rare form of marine memorabilia when she saw an odd light come from the bottom of the seabed. As it turns out, the iPhone began to glow when it received — get this — a text message. Really, I just want to know two things — who makes this waterproof case, and who is this cell service provider capable of providing coverage in the bottom of  the ocean?

More shocking still was the fact that the iPhone was still more than 80 percent charged when it was discovered. Somehow, the phone had managed to not only survive underwater, but maintain a charge for two days, too. Seriously, what magical Apple device is this?

Recommended Videos

Scuba diver Cerys Hearsey discovered the phone upon noticing a flashing light about 30 feet below where she was exploring. Upon closer inspection, she found the fabled iPhone in working condition and with 84 percent of its battery life remaining. She  then did what any responsible scuba diver would do — she  retrieved it, and went through its contacts in order to find its owner.

The owner turned out to be one Rob Smith’s cousin, who apparently dropped the phone while the two of them were kayaking out at Durdle Door in Dorset, England. While the duo paddled toward the coastal landmark, the iPhone was unfortunately dropped over the edge of the watercraft. Smith and his cousin assumed that the iPhone had been lost for good, but just two days later, Cerys discovered that miracles do indeed happen.

Smith and his wife made arrangements to meet with Cerys, as the cousin had already departed the country for Canada. Since then, the iPhone has also made a (safe) journey across the Atlantic, and has been reunited with its owner.

Cerys told the Mirror that she was pleased to play a part in the rescue mission. “I could see the phone sitting on the bottom of the seabed because it received a message and lit up,” she told the publication. “I picked it up and returned to land where I cut it out of its case as it was starting to get a bit of water inside. I then looked up the numbers and got in touch with the owner’s family.”

She added, “Phones are so critical to life nowadays they can be difficult to replace.” But apparently, this is one iPhone that is hardier than the rest.

Lulu Chang
Fascinated by the effects of technology on human interaction, Lulu believes that if her parents can use your new app…
Google has to play fair with AI rivals on Android, and that could be good news for your wallet
A new ruling strips Gemini of its exclusive access to deep Android integration, opening the door for cheaper AI models to offer similar functionality for less.
A person using Google Gemini on the Google Pixel 9a.

After forcing Google to open up Android to third-party app stores, the EU is back with a new target, and this time it's Gemini's home-field advantage. The European Commission ordered Google on July 16 to give rival AI apps the same deep access to Android that's currently exclusive to Gemini. The order falls under the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA), and it directs Google to stop treating its own assistant as a first-class citizen on a platform it controls.

What Google now has to hand over

Read more
Top phone brands should learn how to deck out a flagship without nuking our wallets
Red Magic 11S Pro Full Rear Design

I've always had a soft spot for devices that lean heavily into one aspect as their main identity. From phones that aim to replace a dedicated camera to devices with batteries larger than some power banks, these products know exactly what they were made for. They do not chase the same all-rounder brief as a typical flagship.

The Red Magic 11S Pro is a great example of this. I've always had a soft spot for devices that lean heavily into one aspect as their main identity. From phones that aim to replace a dedicated camera to devices with batteries larger than some power banks, these products know exactly what they were made for. They do not chase the same all-rounder brief as a typical flagship.

Read more
Apple is finally removing AI apps that can digitally undress anyone
Apple and Google told by court by court to remove undressing apps
Apple App Store

Apple has removed several AI-powered "nudify" apps from the App Store after coming under legal pressure from San Francisco's city attorney, but the episode raises a much bigger question than whether a handful of apps violated App Store rules.

The real issue is why these apps made it onto one of the world's most tightly controlled app marketplaces in the first place.

Read more