Do you have an iPhone and you ride a motorcycle? Apple warns. But this applies to Android smartphones too

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Apple issued a message over the weekend in which it warns iPhone owners who have chosen a motorcycle as their means of transport. Strong vibrations, especially with powerful motors, the companies said, could "degrade the performance of the camera system." But the case also applies to owners of phones from other companies. Or at least some models.

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Apple warns against vibrations

The problem may affect primarily those Apple smartphone models that have been equipped with optical image stabilization (OIS). This is a mechanism that reduces the risk of blurring a photo in difficult lighting conditions, and also stabilizes the image in video recordings. The system recognizes the vibrations of the smartphone and moves the matrix or lens elements in such a way as to eliminate the influence of this movement on the photo.

Now, however, Apple has noticed that optical image stabilization is not entirely immune to strong vibration. For example, those that generate motorcycle engines. And - as the company notes - the problem is especially those with high power, which over time may lead to a reduction in performance or even damage to the stabilization in the iPhone. A similar problem may also occur with some iPhones equipped with the so-called closed loop autofocus.

Prolonged direct exposure to high-amplitude vibrations in certain frequency ranges can degrade the performance of these systems and lead to a reduction in image quality in photos and videos. It is recommended that you avoid exposing your iPhone to high-amplitude vibrations for a long time

- Apple announced in the announcement.

The problem does not always occur and not only with the iPhone

In fact, if you keep your phone in your pocket while riding a motorcycle, your iPhone is likely to be safe. Especially when we use the motorcycle rather sporadically. The Apple company is more concerned with a situation where the vibrations from the motorcycle are directly transferred to the phone - for example, when it is held in a holder attached to the steering wheel, and the iPhone is used for navigation.

In this case, any vibration damping system is missing and the performance of the equipment may be adversely affected. It is not without reason that you can buy on the Internet, for example, motorcycle grips with a system that absorbs most of the vibrations generated by motorcycles. The problem has been known for a long time.

Apple recommends that you avoid exposing iPhones to strong vibrations for long periods of time. He adds that two-wheelers (including scooters and mopeds) with low-capacity engines or electric motors also generate vibrations, but "with a relatively lower amplitude". However, also in this case, the use of vibration damping brackets is recommended.

It is also worth noting that not only iPhones can be damaged. None of these things. A large proportion of new smartphones, i.e. models equipped with optical image stabilization, are exposed to the negative effects of vibrations. These are almost all high-end Android smartphones and some mid-priced models.