Apple: Mounting iPhone on motorcycle can cause vibration damage to camera

Apple warns users that mounting an iPhone on a motorcycle could cause the vibrations from the vehicle to damage the camera. This is a well-known phenomenon in the world of motorcycles, but the recognition by a smartphone maker is new.

“Exposing your iPhone to high-amplitude vibrations in certain frequency ranges, especially vibrations generated by high-powered motorcycles, can degrade the performance of the camera system,” is Apple’s official translation. In particular, the optical image stabilization and closed-loop autofocus would be at risk of being damaged by the strong vibrations of a motorcycle.

Apple does not recommend mounting an iPhone on a motorcycle with a strong engine or that produces a loud noise. With similar vehicles with a smaller or electric motor, the risk would still be negligible, but Apple still recommends the use of a vibration-damping phone holder and advises not to use the phone like this too often. It is likely that smartphones from other brands run the same risk in these situations, if they are also equipped with the vulnerable parts in question.

YouTuber Unknown Overland, who deals with motorcycles, made a video on the subject last year, including measurements of the vibrations he experiences on his motorcycles. In it, he also demonstrates how a damaged iPhone camera behaves.

Video starts at point of demonstration problem with camera