Apple has added a new section to its support pages warning that motorcycle vibrations can damage the iPhone’s camera over time, and according to Apple, exposing your iPhone to high amplitude vibrations within certain frequency ranges, especially those generated by high-powered motorcycle engines, can degrade the performance of the camera system.
The tech giant says affected phones include those with optical image stabilization, which means the iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 7, and later including the iPhone SE 2 (the ultra-wide camera in iPhone 11 and later doesn't have image stabilization) optical, nor the telephoto camera on the iPhone 7 Plus and iPhone 8 Plus).
The issue also affects iPhones with closed-loop autofocus that come with iPhone XS and later, including the iPhone SE 2. Both features help you ensure the clarity of your photos, while stabilization also reduces shakiness in videos.
Apple said, high-power or high-volume motorcycle engines generate high amplitude vibrations that are transmitted through the chassis and handlebars. It is recommended that you avoid exposing your iPhone to extended high amplitude vibrations.
In other words, if you want your iPhone camera to stay in the best shape possible, you should refrain from attaching your phone to motorcycles with high-powered or high-volume engines. Attaching the iPhone to small-sized vehicles or electric motors, such as scooters, can result in "relatively lower amplitude vibrations, and said that in these cases a vibration damper is recommended to reduce the risk of damage to the phone and its systems, and advised against using the phone on scooters for extended periods of time.
As explained by MacRumors, who first spotted Apple's new Support function, a number of forum posts over recent years have discussed how motorcycle vibrations appear to damage camera technology on some iPhones.
The news will be a huge disappointment for cyclists who want to use their iPhones for commuting, but it remains to be seen if future iPhone models can overcome the problem.
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