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4-inch iPhone released in March 2016 with similar hardware specifications to the 6S. Available in Silver, Space Grey, Gold, or Rose Gold with 16/32/64/128 GB storage options. Model: A1662 and A1723

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upgrading broken verizon phone

OK, so I have a 2 part question. I purchased an iPhone se last september (2016) from verizon. Since then, I have both shattered it and introduced it to minor water damage. The water damage happened in June and it is now September and I haven't had too much of a problem besides very minor screen stain. In fact, the lci is not red/on. The other night it was fully functional and when i woke up about 12 hours later, it had turned all black with vertical lines and you could see the screen stain. I could still hear notifications, but couldn't see anything but the lines. I put it in rice and nothing had changed so I put it back in and left it in overnight. Now, I can't hear anything and i don't see the lines. It was a bit hot near the camera area this morning but cooled down. I have tried resetting it many times both hard (holding home and sleep/wake button)and by letting the battery drain and plugging it in. Nothing seems to be happening except the same top area is hot. I was wondering if any of you have had similar situations and if it is worth fixing. Now, the second part is if it is a lost cause and not worth fixing, I was wondering if verizon would let me upgrade to a 6 about halfway into my term with the phone before it is eligible for an upgrade. I'm not sure what would be cheaper and i don't want to have to pay off my current phone if it is broken. Anything would be helpful because i have no clue what to do! HELP ME!!!

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I am guessing you put the phone way back in 2016 on a credit card. Most credit card companies double the warrant (or add 1 extra year on it). See if the credit card is willing to repair. Go to the Apple store to get an out of warranty quote. If you are lucky, the credit card company pays for that.

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For Part 1:

With water damage, you have to decontaminate the logic board before doing anything else, otherwise there will be latent issues down the road. On your specific phone, it doesn't sound like a lot of water got in and sometimes that can be a false comfort. Your screen was obviously affected and presumably, your Front Camera & Sensor flex as well (that could cause a bad earpiece speaker connection).

The water was inside the phone, possibly on the logic board and under the shields, even under the IC's. The real problem is the mineral deposits that can cause short circuits or the corrosion that is taking place as the water evaporates. Leaving the power on the device accelerates the process. The saltier or harder the water is, the more damage will occur. The water needs to be displaced, not evaporated. Rice does absolutely nothing but allow the corrosion to take place.

I would try to do the following:

  • Open your phone and remove the logic board (follow this guide)
  • Inspect the logic board, especially around the connectors and look for corrosion.
  • Inspect both sides of the board. Unfortunately, 80% of the board is covered in shields. That's usually where the damage is occurring.
  • Put your board in a container with >90% isopropyl alcohol and let it sit for a while.
  • Use a soft brush, like a toothbrush and lightly brush away any corrosion you see.
  • Rinse in alcohol and repeat.
  • Let it air dry for a day.
  • Re-assemble and hope for the best.

You should also replace the battery if it has swollen. Resist the temptation to pop it to let the gas out. A compromised Li-ion battery is a fire hazard. If the device appears to power up but behaves erratically, then use a tool like 3uTools to flash the firmware as it may be corrupted.

A professional repair shop that does water damage repair may be able to recover your phone or the data because they have access to pro-level ultrasonic baths and specialized cleaners as well as the skills to troubleshoot your board. Many shops have a no fix/no fee policy so you don't have to spend money to find out if the phone is fixable or not.

For Part 2:

You'll have to pay for the iPhone SE regardless. You bought it and you broke it. Contact Verizon and see what they can offer you.

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