Man Finds iPhone Lost In River After 10 Months, Still Works

We crave our smartphones to be durable enough to stand abrupt falls and plunges. IP67 or heavy water resistance rating is only found in premium smartphones – that too with limitations. But an iPhone owner was amazed by the durability his lost iPhone displayed – even after being submerged in water for months.

Most smartphones can withstand submergence in water for up to 30 minutes at a depth of six meters. Even the latest Apple iPhone models claim the same water resistance standards. But Owain Davies is one of the lucky ones to have a working iPhone even after 10 months of deep submergence.

How was the lost iPhone discovered?

The BBC posted the story of Owain Davies’ lost and later found iPhone. He was on a stag do in Cinderford, Gloucestershire, in August 2021. He went for a canoe ride with his friend and midway his partner stood up. That action threw off the balance of the canoe, after which Owain fell into the water. He soon realized that his iPhone, which was in his back pocket, was no longer there.

Owain lost all hope of recovering his phone and was off social media for months. But as luck would have it, another canoeist, Pacheco found it while canoeing in Gloucestershire. He noticed something floating in the water and pulled it out. He realized that it was an iPhone, covered in mud and other waste.

Miguel Pacheco didn’t press the power button hastily and instead took the phone home. He cautiously dried it using an air compressor. The next morning, he connected it to a charger and powered it up. To his surprise, the phone booted up and showed a photo of a couple as the screensaver. The date on the screensaver was 13 August, which confirmed that the phone survived 10 months of submergence.

Miguel posted the photos of the phone on a public Facebook group which soon blew up. Eventually, a friend of Owain saw it and then shared the news with him. Thus, Owain Davis recovered his iPhone which fell in the water ten months back. Like all of us, he was surprised how the lost iPhone managed to stay alive in such conditions.