Survey: iPhone Users Should Stop Bringing Their Devices Into Dangerous Places Like The Kitchen

Last week I was feeling lazy and so I dropped my laundry off to have it cleaned. When pulling out the clean clothes from the bag and putting them away, an iPhone tumbled out — it had clearly been washed and was now totally useless, unable to give me even a tiny clue as to its ownership. It somehow landed in its owner’s dirty laundry pile and thus, ended up in my clean clothes (ick). Just goes to show, as do recent survey results, that your iPhone is danger of the most damage in your very own home.

Cue fear-instilling music!

Just kidding about the fear, but really, a survey run by device warranty provider Squaretrade (via CNET) shows that most of the tragedies that befall iPhones — 51% — happen inside the home, as opposed to out in the wilds of society.

The most dangerous place for an iPhone within the home is the kitchen, at 21%. Not surprising with all those opportunities for dunking in water or dropping into a blender. The living room plays host to 18% of damaging accidents while the bathroom — the site of multiple water hazards — is only responsible for 16% of accidents.

Imbibing while using your iPhone is also a bad idea, as water damage is the most common way to drown your phone at 43% with soda at 19% and beer and coffee/tea categories are both at 12%.

This is all based on a survey of 35 questions that was given to 2,004 iPhone owners. It would be interesting to find out next if Android devices have the same kinds of doom slated for them in the same rooms in the home, or whether it’s just iPhone users’ unique form of nomophobia that keeps their phones so close, and so threatened.

Where do most people accidentally destroy their iPhone? [CNET]

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.