May 28, 2021, 12:17 pm | Read time: 3 minutes
We know that smartphones can fail in extremely cold temperatures. The battery can’t maintain its charge, and the device shuts down. But what actually happens if you take it a step further and put an iPhone in the freezer? TECHBOOK conducts the test.
In winter, it’s not uncommon for an iPhone to shut down outdoors. According to Apple, iOS devices are only designed to operate at a minimum of 32 degrees Fahrenheit. The support team states: “Using […] under very cold conditions outside the operating range can temporarily shorten battery life and cause the device to shut down.”
Can the iPhone withstand storage in the freezer?
But what happens when the iPhone is exposed to extreme cold? The support has an answer for that too. According to them, the smartphone can be stored at temperatures as low as -4 degrees Fahrenheit. However, there is no information on how long it can survive in this cold.
TECHBOOK therefore conducts its own test and places an iPhone 7 in the freezer for two weeks. The optimal temperature for a freezer is about -0.4 degrees Fahrenheit. This means that with the iPhone on ice, we’re still within the cold limit that Apple specifies.
The iPhone 7 we use for the test is unfortunately locked with a passcode we can no longer retrieve. In principle, the iPhone is still fully functional, but in its current state, it’s useless to us. Therefore, it’s an excellent candidate for the freezer test.
Before storing it in the freezer, we tested the iPhone 7 as thoroughly as possible. It powers on properly, and both the screen and touch function flawlessly. The device can also output audio, and the Taptic Engine and Home Button are in working order. So, into the freezer it goes, and we wait two weeks.
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Turn it back on after two weeks on ice
After the iPhone has spent two full weeks under toast, frozen herbs, and ice packs, we bring it back to daylight. Ice crystals have formed on the surface, and we don’t turn it on immediately. After all, the iPhone is still well below its operating temperature of a minimum of 32 degrees Fahrenheit after its stay in the freezer.
Only after completely thawing do we attempt to turn it on—and lo and behold, the iPhone powers on without any issues. Everything works as usual: touch, screen, speakers, Taptic Engine, and Home Button. Only the battery has almost completely drained—even though we placed the iPhone in the freezer with a full charge. But a short time on the charger shows that this is not a problem either. The iPhone battery charges as usual.
iPhone in the freezer? No problem
Although the storage temperature of up to -4 degrees Fahrenheit already hinted at it, it’s still remarkable that an iPhone can survive two weeks in the freezer and then function perfectly without any issues.
So, anyone who leaves an iPhone out in freezing cold overnight or forgets it in the freezer for some reason doesn’t need to worry. The device will most likely still work.
However, there is one limitation: Our device is an iPhone 7, which is protected against water ingress according to IP67. This means all openings are sealed to protect the interior from water. Condensation can form in the freezer, as it did in our case. If this water enters the iPhone’s interior, it can damage the electronics.