Disney recently returned an iPhone 11 to a family that had thought that it, and the photos it held, were lost forever. The device spent two months submerged in the Seven Seas Lagoon at Disney World.
While on a trip to Disney World, Lisa and Jacob Troyer had a not-so-magical experience and dropped their iPhone 11 into the Seven Seas Lagoon. The family informed a Disney employee and left their information, doubtful of any recovery of the photos even if the device were found. They were assured, however, that the diving team found things all the time, and the phone may be recovered.
“I was upset to have lost my phone, and the pictures I had taken that evening of Disney’s Halloween party, which had been the main event for our trip,” said Lisa Troyer. “Our six-year-old daughter was particularly devastated, as pictures of her and Jack Skellington would never materialize; instead, they sat at the bottom of a lagoon.”
Two months later, the family received communications from Disney, who told them the lost iPhone had been recovered. The iPhone arrived in the mail a short time later, fully operational.
“I was able to retrieve all of the pictures from our Disney Halloween night, and besides some sand in my case and a little algae on the cover, the phone seems no worse for the wear,” Troyer said. The device was protected only by a thin silicone case.
The family reached out to Tim Cook who thanked them for sharing their story. Jacob Troyer reached out to MacRumors to relay the events.
Apple has improved the water-resistance of the its iPhone in recent years. The iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro both have IP68 ratings. However, iPhone 11 Pro can withstand 4 meters submerged for 30 minutes, while the iPhone 11 and iPhone XS series can only be stand up to 2 meters for 30 minutes.