Apple: Don't Attach iPhones to High-Power Motorcycles

Company says it can permanently damage camera
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Sep 13, 2021 6:45 PM CDT
Apple Warns Against Attaching iPhones to Motorcycles
Attaching iPhones to motorcycles can cause permanent damage, Apple says.   (Getty Images/kitzcorner)

The iPhone apparently was not born to be wild. Apple warned users last week that attaching iPhones to powerful motorcycles exposes the devices to " intense high-amplitude vibrations" that could damage camera systems, the BBC reports. A support document released Friday states that vibrations "transmitted through the chassis and handlebars" can permanently damage the optical image stabilization and closed-loop autofocus features in iPhone cameras, leading to "reduced image quality for photos and videos." The systems, Apple said, work to automatically counteract movement, vibrations, and the effects of gravity to let you focus on taking a great shot." Apple says the issue can affect phones from the iPhone 6 Plus onwards.

Apple advised against attaching iPhones to "motorcycles with high-power or high-volume engine" and recommended that people who attach the devices to lower-power vehicles like scooters or mopeds use a vibration dampening mount. There have been numerous reports on social media and discussion forums from people who attached iPhones to motorcycles for navigation and had trouble with devices afterward, reports MacRumors. "First ride on the motorcycle and I think I toasted the camera in my iPhone," one user tweeted earlier this month. (More iPhone stories.)

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