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posted by martyb on Sunday September 12 2021, @07:05PM   Printer-friendly
from the don't-catch-the-buzz dept.

Apple Warns Against Mounting iPhones to Motorcycles

Apple warns against mounting iPhones to motorcycles:

This has gotta be one of the weirdest ways you can ruin an iPhone camera.

Apple posted a new page to its support website warning iPhone owners to be careful about exposing their phones to the specific vibration frequencies found in "high-power or high-volume motorcycle engine." News of the support page first popped up in a report from MacRumors.

Apparently, operating these phones too close to those engines can fry the cameras in iPhones with optical image stabilization (OIS) or closed-loop autofocus (AF) technology. Every iPhone from the 7 onward has at least one of those things inside it, so if you've bought an iPhone in the past four or five years, it could potentially be at risk.

Exposure to Vibrations, Like Those Generated by High-powered Motorcycle Engines, Might Impact iPhone

Exposure to vibrations, like those generated by high-powered motorcycle engines, might impact iPhone cameras:

The iPhone camera helps you take great photos in any situation—from everyday moments to studio-quality portraits. The advanced camera systems in some iPhone models include technology like optical image stabilization and closed-loop autofocus to help you capture great photos even in difficult conditions. These systems work to automatically counteract movement, vibrations, and the effects of gravity to let you focus on taking a great shot.

[...] The OIS and closed-loop AF systems in iPhone are designed for durability. However, as is the case with many consumer electronics that include systems like OIS, long-term direct exposure to high-amplitude vibrations within certain frequency ranges may degrade the performance of these systems and lead to reduced image quality for photos and videos. It is recommended to avoid exposing your iPhone to extended high-amplitude vibrations.

High-power or high-volume motorcycle engines generate intense high-amplitude vibrations, which are transmitted through the chassis and handlebars. It is not recommended to attach your iPhone to motorcycles with high-power or high-volume engines due to the amplitude of the vibration in certain frequency ranges that they generate. Attaching your iPhone to vehicles with small-volume or electric engines, such as mopeds and scooters, may lead to comparatively lower-amplitude vibrations, but if you do so a vibration dampening mount is recommended to lessen the risk of damage to your iPhone and its OIS and AF systems. It is also recommended to avoid regular use for prolonged periods to further lessen the risk of damage.

Also at engadget [engadget.com].


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  • (Score: 2) by shortscreen on Sunday September 12 2021, @09:11PM (2 children)

    by shortscreen (2252) on Sunday September 12 2021, @09:11PM (#1177305) Journal

    Maybe it'll be fine if your motorcycle has an inline-6 engine.

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  • (Score: 2) by Fnord666 on Monday September 13 2021, @01:04PM (1 child)

    by Fnord666 (652) on Monday September 13 2021, @01:04PM (#1177392) Homepage

    Maybe it'll be fine if your motorcycle has an inline-6 engine.

    Like these [rideapart.com]?

    • (Score: 3, Insightful) by shortscreen on Monday September 13 2021, @10:44PM

      by shortscreen (2252) on Monday September 13 2021, @10:44PM (#1177522) Journal

      Yes.

      Long answer:
      1) Inline-6 (and flat-6) are known for having lesser vibrations.
      2) An expensive, hard-to-get product fits perfectly as an Apple accessory.