iPhone 3GS takes plunge in pool while shooting video... and lives to tell the tale

Now, we're hoping this isn't some elaborate hoax perpetrated on the kind citizens of the internet, because if it's real, it's amazing. Here's the deal: a man capturing video poolside with his iPhone 3GS somehow loses control of the device and ends up dunking the entire phone... while filming. Miraculously, he manages to fish out the handset and it's still rolling. We don't know what the lifespan was / is beyond this clip, but obviously long enough to upload the video or transfer it to a computer. Impressive stuff, though we strongly suggest you don't test this one out on your own. Check out the full video after the break.

[Via George Ruiz]

[RLBurkes @ Jun 27th 2009 3:02PM]

S is for Swim?

[dergaderg @ Jun 27th 2009 3:08PM]

submersible

[Gi @ Jun 27th 2009 3:24PM]

Splash
Suspect
Sure


Stop

[John @ Jun 27th 2009 3:33PM]

I kind of believe the video because you can see the phone working its light meter magic when it hits the bottom. Still could be in a waterproof case, though.

[JohnTitor @ Jun 27th 2009 3:56PM]

or it could not be an iphone

[David @ Jun 27th 2009 4:46PM]

I believe it.. my friend dropped his phone in the toilet and it was fine.

[John B. @ Jun 27th 2009 5:21PM]

Anyone see a camera strap as it hits the water?

[skyblaze @ Jun 27th 2009 5:21PM]

rofl at the dude staring at him at 0:45

"dude, you fukin' LOSER..."

[konshuss @ Jun 27th 2009 5:25PM]

damn when i saw that photo i thought we were getting a redux of Kingpin.

[trevor @ Jun 27th 2009 5:46PM]

what is it with the 3GS and pools??

[robpetrin @ Jun 27th 2009 6:29PM]

JohnTitor FTW

Where's the proof it's an iPhone?

[leak @ Jun 27th 2009 7:15PM]

For sure it wasn't uploaded using his phone, if it was truly an iPhone, he must've transferred it to his computer before uploading.
The YouTube video doesn't have the "Uploaded from my iPhone" banner.

[Hirudin @ Jun 27th 2009 8:48PM]

@ John B.

Yup, there are at least two frames with some kind of strap. What kind of fool puts a strap on his new iPhone but then doesn't use it when he's filming video next to a pool?

iPhone + shrink wrap = easy

[Luke @ Jun 27th 2009 9:22PM]

Well a quick search on youtube and you can find people purposely sticking their Iphone in water, the phone seems to be somewhat water resistant for whatever it's worth:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGPFAVr1ido
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGp_ZcYyXmA

[AndrewNoNumbers @ Jun 27th 2009 10:35PM]

Video description on YouTube: "Was trying video on my new iPhone 3G S at the pool and dropped it in the pool. Don't know if it's waterproof, but it still works fine. I had a few people comment on seeing a strap in the video. I have a rubber cover and had put a strap through the earpiece hole to avoid just this type of thing. I didn't have it on my wrist at the time, but believe me, I will from now on!!!! Maybe the rubber cover helped with it not getting damaged."

[darkmax @ Jun 28th 2009 12:36AM]

how about

Silly
Stupid?

[Mmmm... Dohnuts. @ Jun 28th 2009 3:51AM]

Oooh, are we thinking of random 'S' words? Hmm... Sodomy!

[JC @ Jun 28th 2009 6:04AM]

Why is this news? The iPhone 3GS being waterproof isn't anything new.


The 3GS constantly overheats for some people. If you're one of those people, try sticking it in water. The heat will dissipate (evaporate) the water and create a water-proof film around it. It's pretty cool actually. Only lasts about a minute though.

[Agent .25i @ Jun 28th 2009 10:19AM]

@JC
It will be the next KD commercial with the students. Get container for holding water, and KD. Add iPhone. Enjoy.

[Sarvesh @ Jun 28th 2009 1:52PM]

whats the big deal. Any nokia can survive that.

[Saad (the other one) @ Jun 28th 2009 7:56PM]

for the amount of time it spent in the water, I wouldn't want a 3GS if it didn't work after that.

[good grief @ Jun 29th 2009 8:58AM]

JohnTitor KNOWS it wasn't an iPhone, because he remembered this hoax eventually being exposed when he was a child growing up in Florida.

[Tracy in Cary @ Jul 16th 2009 10:21AM]

I have heard that most phones will survive this kind of dip into water. HOWEVER some water does seep in and starts corroding parts, causing problems like reduced signal strength and shorter battery life. That's why the phone company will reject giving you a warranty replacement on grounds of "signs of water".

I have no proof of this, just something I heard.

[Monkey with glasses @ Jun 27th 2009 3:03PM]

S is for sea

[Monkey with glasses @ Jun 27th 2009 3:05PM]

or surf.

[Jakob @ Jun 27th 2009 3:24PM]

Or Sadin - it's an AWESOME fish, at least in my kingdom!

[murmermer @ Jun 27th 2009 6:00PM]

This is Americam, leave your durkadurkha crap where it belongs 300 miles away from civilization; in the middle of a desert

[CJ @ Jun 27th 2009 10:33PM]

Denmark is in the middle of a desert?

[Josh @ Jun 28th 2009 2:07AM]

@murmermer
I've never heard of "Americam". If you're their official spokesman, that kinda sucks for them. I'll stick with living in America. People are nicer here.

[William @ Jun 28th 2009 5:18PM]

or shoulda got android :P

[StoopidFlanders @ Jun 27th 2009 3:04PM]

Terrible image quality. It's all distorted and blurry. Is this what passes for 3 MegaPixels these days?

[G @ Jun 27th 2009 3:04PM]

the video isn't supposed to be 3 MP

[coolbho3000 @ Jun 27th 2009 3:06PM]

Except it shoots video at 0.3 megapixels.

And it's on Youtube anyway.

[Chris @ Jun 27th 2009 3:20PM]

video doesn't shoot in megapixels.

[d889 @ Jun 27th 2009 3:24PM]

the thing could have a 100 megapixel camera but it doesnt mean shit when you have crappy optics

[David Z. @ Jun 27th 2009 3:35PM]

It has nothing to do with the camera's resolution. It shoots video in 640x480 like almost every other phone that does video. I think the problem in this clip is that it was out of focus. If you look closely, the image is sharper when the guy points the camera at himself than when he is pointing it at things further away. It may not be able to adjust the focus while it's shooting, and he may have started recording with it pointed at something closer. That's my guess.

[redcard @ Jun 27th 2009 3:36PM]

LOL @ StoopidFlanders.

Way to show your poor understanding of technology on a tech blog

[Philster @ Jun 27th 2009 4:25PM]

Seriously? Image quality is hardly what this post is about.

[ypocaramel @ Jun 27th 2009 4:46PM]

Technically there's phones that shoot at 720p (Omnia HD)... if you don't want to carry around a dedicated device, for some reason.

[loosely_coupled @ Jun 27th 2009 4:51PM]

Actually, the video quality is far better on the new iPhone 3GS compared to my blackberry 8830, but it gets compressed to hell after uploading to youtube. You also have to click the HD button the the youtube video to get the better upload.

[Darak @ Jun 27th 2009 8:33PM]

I'd like to thank you all for missing the sarcasm. I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that the original comment was made in reference to the preview shot which is obviously blurry and distorted due the water.

Defensiveness ftw?

[Eric @ Jun 27th 2009 9:55PM]

Is it possible that the original post was a joke, referring to the blurriness of the video shot through quite a bit of water?

[ben36 @ Jun 27th 2009 3:18PM]

This is so fake

[Mac OS X @ Jun 27th 2009 3:07PM]

Hwo do you know it's an iPhone? Could be any waterproof-Camera, too! FAKE!

[dergaderg @ Jun 27th 2009 3:13PM]

if u look at the video the shadow of the phone it looks lie the silhouette of the iphone plus the camera is correctly placed

[dTondro @ Jun 27th 2009 4:04PM]

Otter-Box?

[dennis118 @ Jun 27th 2009 3:05PM]

The point is: How do you tell that's really a iPhone 3GS?

[Eric @ Jun 27th 2009 3:14PM]

its shooting video?

[The Walrus @ Jun 27th 2009 3:15PM]

That's right, Apple invented video recording. How silly of us

[Chris @ Jun 27th 2009 3:20PM]

You can see the iphone shadow at the bottom of the water.