Man Is Literally Allergic To His iPhone 6

[Fanghawk]

Man Is Literally Allergic To His iPhone 6

Mark Watson is suffering a painful allergic reaction to his iPhone 6, but won't receive any compensation from Apple.

It doesn't matter <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/142225-Apple-TV-4-Might-Support-Video-Games>what shiny new tech Apple rolls out - some will absolutely adore its products while others loathe them without question. But it's a different matter when those products cause allergic reactions. That's the story Mark Watson is telling after finding a painful rash on his leg believed to be caused <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/scienceandtech/12240-Apple-iPhone-6-Reveal-Event-What-We-Learned#&gid=gallery_3138&pid=1>by the iPhone 6. It seems the iPhone 6 uses higher amounts of nickel than other Apple phones - which to people suffering from nickle allergies causes the exact rash he describes.

"I have never in my life had an allergic reaction to nickel, and before this it was a metal I associated with cheap jewellery," Watson told the Daily Mirror. "I just think it's wrong that this could even happen."

After visiting a doctor and receiving blood tests, Watson was told he had a nickel allergy and his iPhone was the likely culprit. Keeping the smartphone in his left pocket was apparently enough to trigger the breakout on his thigh. But it was completely unexpected to Watson, who used three other iPhones in the past. "You don't expect a product by Apple to give you a rash," Watson said. "And you just don't expect to be allergic to your phone."

It sounds ridiculous, but there is some precedent for this. Nickel allergy some for iPads.

The bad news for Watson, however, is that Apple won't offer him a new phone or compensation. "When I spoke to Apple they said it would have been mentioned in their terms and conditions but I don't believe it is," he explained. "When I searched on their website for 'nickel' nothing came up. I think they need to address this." In the meantime, Watson is limiting contact with his iPhone by keeping it in his desk at work.

But who knows - maybe a new upgrade would solve the problem.

Source: <a href=http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/man-allergic-iphone-6-demands-6409593>Daily Mirror

Permalink

 

[Teoes]

Wow. I honestly expected this post to have been written by Taco.

Also, Daily Mirror ololol. Interesting point in the comments though - what of phone cases, I wonder?

 

[Silentpony_v1legacy]

Please! He's allergic to things being mainstream.
Except tattoos. Those are always fresh and original

 

[fix-the-spade]

I see this from people wearing cheap (or not so cheap) glasses all the time.

It doesn't surprise me that the house of Jobs would start using nickel alloys for it's phones to save a cent or two per unit. Just another reason to buy a Galaxy I suppose.

 

[ccggenius12]

Seems like as good a reason as any to switch to 'droid. I mean, it's not like Samsung has a higher user satisfaction rating, or costs less or anything... Oh wait. I'd say we can add "doesn't trigger allergies" to the list, but then we'd get called out by the people that are literally allergic to technology.

 

[jabrwock]

Wait wait wait. He puts it in his pocket?

Does he have threadbare pockets with holes in them? Or is he trying to claim that he nickel is passing through the cloth?

 

[Dach]

Wait wait wait. He puts it in his pocket?

Does he have threadbare pockets with holes in them? Or is he trying to claim that he nickel is passing through the cloth?

A BBC report on nickel coins (http://www.bbc.com/news/health-22956874) cited Allergy UK as stating that "[...] a common example is men who carry coins in their pockets, only to find they have sore and itchy skin on their thighs as a result." There doesn't appear to be any studies on these coins causing or exacerbating allergies, though it is confirmed that they deposit some nickel onto the surface of the skin. Typically the allergy is associated with long-term, direct exposure with nickel (usually jewelry) but sweat or other liquids may carry and deposit nickel directly onto the skin.

In any case, Apple is aware of this, as their apple watch contains little nickel (6% of the metal) and none of it is in direct contact with the skin of the wearer. In fact, they even recommend solutions if you think that it is causing issues, suggesting a plastic or nail polish barrier which is typically recommended for jewelry. It was also noted that most rashes that occur from wearing a watch are typically an issue with wearing a watch too tight or constantly without cleaning the skin and/or the watch.

 

[Sarge034]

Yes, I 'm sure "We reserve the right to cause allergic reactions and not warn you of potentially allergic substances in our product because fuck you, that's why." is a totally legit part of the EULA.

Spoiler: Meanwhile at Mount Doom, I mean Job-ba's palace (too forced?), errr... Apple HQ.

 

[Drejer43]

Why are manufacturers still using nickel in things we keep close to our body? Shouldn't it like be phased out 10 years ago?

 

[404notfound]

I guess you could say Apple are nickel and diming him.... I'll let myself out.

On a more serious note: Apple will be rolling in money, I don't know why they'd want the bad PR of not just replacing 1 phone.

 

[The Rogue Wolf]

Wouldn't a simple plastic case solve this problem?

 

[Neurotic Void Melody]

There is so much better news than this. Oh why are there Mirror pickings being used for news here? Is there some journalistic plagiarism law that leaves free only tabloid scraps to pick n' polish for us?

 

[Cowabungaa]

Couldn't this be solved by getting one of those cheap, hard plastic open cases? Or even a soft silicone one.

 

[babybasher]

Why didn't he notice it with his hands first!?

 

[Jadak]

"I have never in my life had an allergic reaction to nickel, and before this it was a metal I associated with cheap jewellery," Watson told the Daily Mirror. "I just think it's wrong that this could even happen."

Errr... Doesn't that imply it probably isn't the nickel?

More to the point, a rash on his leg? If it was an allergy isn't it likely he'd be noticing issues with say, his hands? I accept that he may rest it on his leg while shitting, but still...

 

[Dango]

Not often do you see a news story with so many pictures of a man with his pants down.

 

[008Zulu_v1legacy]

An Apple rep posted this reply; He is not using the phone correctly.

 

[thewatergamer]

Seems a little...far-fetched to me, but presuming that his iPhone 6 is the culprit and Apple failed to mention the high amounts of nickel then...well I don't see anything wrong with a new phone and paying for the medical expenses...I mean come on this is apple we are talking about

 

[Saulkar]

Why didn't he notice it with his hands first!?

"I have never in my life had an allergic reaction to nickel, and before this it was a metal I associated with cheap jewellery," Watson told the Daily Mirror. "I just think it's wrong that this could even happen."

Errr... Doesn't that imply it probably isn't the nickel?

More to the point, a rash on his leg? If it was an allergy isn't it likely he'd be noticing issues with say, his hands? I accept that he may rest it on his leg while shitting, but still...

Prolonged continuous contact is what I would assume the issue to be. If you have it in your pocket sweat on your leg builds up and transfers the nickel particles from the surface of the Iphone to your leg over many hours. Brief exposure to his hands which may not maintain continuous contact would likely not illicit an allergic reaction. It would be the same reason why the flat nickel plated studs on my old wallet gave me a painful rash on my thighs but I could handle the wallet with my hands just fine. I washed the wallet which did nothing but putting nail-polish or some sort of lacquer (I cannot remember which) over the studs solved the issue until I got a new wallet.

 

[Scrythe]

I'm sure it actually is somewhere in their thousand-page terms of service, just above the clause that entitles Apple to primae noctis with your wife.