Macs can now inform Apple if any liquids have been detected in the USB-C ports
Apple is adding software to Macs that uses USB‑C power controller data to detect conductive “liquid” shorts in ports and can report these events back to Apple. Commenters welcome the safety benefits and potential to prevent corrosion, but many fear it will mainly serve as another lever to deny or complicate warranty and repair claims, especially given Apple’s history of aggressively treating any moisture indicators as user damage. The thread also broadens into questions about the reliability of such sensors, how they behave in humid environments, and why Apple doesn’t build more genuinely water‑resistant or rugged computers despite advertising high water‑resistance on iPhones.
Feature origin & behavior
- Several comments note this is a standard capability of newer USB‑C Power Delivery controllers (e.g., TI chips): they detect a conductive short between certain pins and cut power.
- macOS now has a dedicated daemon (e.g.,
liquiddetectiond) that reads voltages, decides when the port is “wet,” and can send analytics events. - Detection is of conductivity/shorts, not “liquid” per se. Non‑conductive liquids (oils, some coolants) may not be detected.
Warranty and consumer rights
- Many fear Apple will use logged liquid events to deny warranty claims or even refuse paid repairs.
- Multiple anecdotes: repairs or even simple battery replacements refused due to “water damage” flags or liquid-indicator stickers, sometimes despite minimal or old incidents.
- Others recount Apple honoring repairs after water exposure, including full submersion and battery replacements on frequently wet phones.
- Debate over legality: some argue local consumer laws (e.g., EU, Australia) limit how far Apple can go in excluding water damage; enforcement and dispute mechanisms are seen as unclear.
Reliability and false positives
- Several reports from iPhones, Samsungs, and Pixels of “liquid detected” warnings when devices and ports appeared dry, often tied to:
- Faulty/cheap or partially unplugged cables.
- Humid, misty, or foggy environments.
- Dust or residue in ports.
- Concern that sensitive detection plus remote logging creates a one‑sided “tattletale” that users can’t disprove.
Perceived benefits
- Some users say the feature has clearly saved devices by preventing charging when ports were genuinely wet, including from condensation.
- On iOS, there is an override for emergencies, which some think is reasonable but also a prime event to log for later corrosion‑related failures.
Water resistance vs real-world use
- Long thread on IP67/IP68 “water resistance” vs marketing impressions of “waterproof.”
- Apple explicitly excludes liquid damage from warranty, even for IP‑rated products; critics call this misleading, supporters say warranty covers faults, not damage.
- Anecdotes range from phones surviving repeated immersion, rinsing under taps, and heavy rain, to others failing after a single dunk or rinse.
Broader hardware and UX complaints
- Frustration with opaque background daemons and telemetry: users feel their Macs are not fully under their control.
- Complaints about Apple repair model (board swaps, high prices, refusal to do limited fixes) and liquid indicators tripping from humidity or minor incidents.
- Side discussions on lack of rugged/water‑resistant Macs, fragile USB‑C ports, and Mac limitations on multi‑monitor setups.