I’m trying to figure out if anyone else has run into this, or successfully pushed back on Apple.
I bought an iPhone 17 Pro Max recently and started noticing internal condensation forming inside the camera lenses during normal temperature changes (going from cold outdoors to warm indoors). This started very early after purchase.
There’s:
No external damage
No drops, cracks, or submersion
Normal day-to-day use only
At one point, after light moisture exposure (nothing beyond what you’d expect for an IP68-rated phone), the issue escalated and:
Front camera stopped working properly
Rear cameras developed visible issues and degradation
From my perspective, this points to a seal failure or manufacturing defect, since moisture is clearly getting inside the device.
Apple inspected it and:
Claimed it’s not covered under warranty
Quoted me ~$1200 CAD for repair
Would not escalate further even after speaking with supervisors
Their position is essentially that any liquid damage voids warranty, regardless of cause.
What I’m struggling with:
An IP68-rated device shouldn’t develop internal condensation under normal environmental changes
There’s no visible external damage indicating misuse
The failure mode looks like compromised sealing, not user error
I’ve filed a BBB complaint, but I’m trying to understand:
Has anyone had Apple reverse a decision like this?
Is there any success escalating seal failure / internal condensation cases?
I’m open to any realistic next steps.
u/Combfromhell
I’m trying to figure out if anyone else has run into this, or successfully pushed back on Apple.
I bought an iPhone 17 Pro Max recently and started noticing internal condensation forming inside the camera lenses during normal temperature changes (going from cold outdoors to warm indoors). This started very early after purchase.
There’s:
No external damage
No drops, cracks, or submersion
Normal day-to-day use only
At one point, after light moisture exposure (nothing beyond what you’d expect for an IP68-rated phone), the issue escalated and:
Front camera stopped working properly
Rear cameras developed visible issues and degradation
From my perspective, this points to a seal failure or manufacturing defect, since moisture is clearly getting inside the device.
Apple inspected it and:
Claimed it’s not covered under warranty
Quoted me ~$1200 CAD for repair
Would not escalate further even after speaking with supervisors
Their position is essentially that any liquid damage voids warranty, regardless of cause.
What I’m struggling with:
An IP68-rated device shouldn’t develop internal condensation under normal environmental changes
There’s no visible external damage indicating misuse
The failure mode looks like compromised sealing, not user error
I’ve filed a BBB complaint, but I’m trying to understand:
Has anyone had Apple reverse a decision like this?
Is there any success escalating seal failure / internal condensation cases?
I’m open to any realistic next steps.