My iPhone XS has water damage

You will have to pay fir a replacement. Water damage voids the warranty. Resistance to water intrusion is not a guarantee that a device may not be damaged when exposed to water. It simply means it is less likely to be damaged than a non-resistance rated device would be.

See -> About splash, water, and dust resistance of iPhone 7 and later - Apple Support

“To prevent liquid damage, avoid these:

• Swimming or bathing with your iPhone
• Exposing your iPhone to pressurized water or high velocity water, such as when showering, water skiing, wake boarding, surfing, jet skiing, and so on
• Using your iPhone in a sauna or steam room
• Intentionally submerging your iPhone in water
• Operating your iPhone outside the suggested temperature ranges or in extremely humid conditions
• Dropping your iPhone or subjecting it to other impacts
• Disassembling your iPhone, including removing screws”

All smart phones with an IP rating are advertised as “water resistant” since that is what the IP testing and rating system was designed to allow manufacturers to do. Yet no manufacturer warranties water damaged phones. So I am saying your issue is not an Apple issue. It’s related to the international standards of testing and what people take from that IP rating.

Clearly many people do not understand what the IP rating really means or indicates.

Samsung famously had their IP rated phones being thrown into water and being fine, but only dropped those ads after tech news sites reported they would not cover their devices tossed into water.

And BTW, this is not a site for feedback to Apple. These are user-to-user forums. Apple feedback goes to - Product Feedback - Apple

pple needs to reevaluate how water resistant iPhones are, or at minimum, if using that terminology is appropriate. According to Apple, "the iPhone 11 can iPhone 11 can be submerged in a maximum depth of two meters (around 6.6. feet) for up to 30 minutes."

This has not been my experience. My 1 year-old iPhone 11 just was pronounced dead by the genius bar, due to water damage. I have cleaned it with sprays and wipes and also handled it with wet hands over the past year, thinking that it was water resistant all the while. It's not. If it can't handle what I've done to it, there's no way it could be deemed water resistant and capable of being briefly submerged. I haven't been in a heavy rain with it, water hasn't spilled on or around it, and it hasn't been submerged - only cleaned, because you know - we're in a pandemic.

Apple should not even say it is water resistant because I don't see how a phone can be submerged if it can't handle sprays and wipes and wet hands (while in a case with a screen protector on.)

Actually, Apple’s documentation does NOT say they can be submerged to any depth. From the document I linked to above, what is actually said is: “iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max have a rating of IP68 under IEC standard 60529 (maximum depth of 4 meters up to 30 minutes). iPhone 11 has a rating of IP68 under IEC standard 60529 (maximum depth of 2 meters up to 30 minutes)”.

The IP test standard mentions the depth and time as that is how the independent lab test is done. It is also done using only clean and pure fresh water, standing water (not moving) and the device is not in use while under water during the test.

An IP rating is not a guarantee that water exposure, any water exposure, will not result in damage. It simply means an IP rated device is less likely to be damaged than a non-IP rated device would be under the same circumstances. You’re holding a device filed with energized electrical circuitry and with un-plugged openings, so there is always a risk of water damage. The only water proof smart phones (ones where the manufacturer does warranty against water damage) all have physical plugs for all openings (speakers, microphones, charging port, aux port, etc). And those manufacturers technically only cover water damage if all those physical seals were i damaged and in place when the device got wet.

Apple’s documentation also states: “iPhone 12, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max, iPhone SE (2nd generation), iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max, iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR are resistant to accidental spills from common liquids, such as soda, beer, coffee, tea, and juice”.

Nothing in Apple’s documentation talks about deliberately submerging a device and using at any depth of water. Those references are to the laboratory testing standards and not real world usage.

By advertising the IP68 rating quite prolifically, which is what I quoted, - a quick Google search will show this “water resistant” angle in articles ranging from CNET to Bustle, as well as implied in Apple’s own advertising imagery, consumers have a false sense of security.

My phone was never submerged nor exposed to moving water, and has been wiped with the very same cleaning wipes and sprays used in the Apple store. If handling it with wet hands, and using cleaning products on it causes such extreme damage that it activates the sensor, my point is that “water resistant” should not even be a leading feature of the iPhone. My theory is that water came between the case and the phone, then into the SIM slot. But that just shows how delicate the hardware actually is.

Stay on topic.

I’m citing facts used by Apple to describe the water resistance of the iPhone 11, in both product descriptions and PR and advertising campaigns. No one here is discussing whether that’s covered by warranty or the replacement policy.

The discussion I’m encouraging is around whether this phone should be advertised as water resistant, and my feedback, which is what this forum is for, is that it absolutely should not, and doesn’t live up to the frequently cited specs about water resistance.

The iPhone has passed the international standards for independent lab testing for water resistance under the IP rating system. Just like every Samsung smart phone or any other manufacturer’s smart phone with an IP rating. None of whom warranty against water damage. As such, Apple has every legal right to claim IP rated water resistance, just as any other manufacturer submitting their devices to independent lab testing does.

So if your issue is with the IP rating standard, that’s not an Apple issue.

Again, my issue is that this phone is marketed as “water resistant” and from my experience this is not the case. My feedback to Apple is that this is not accurate or fair to consumers to push “water resistant” as a feature. Feedback that is very much directed at Apple. Not sure why you are so invested in negating my feedback ….

And again, not even discussing the warranty, so please stay on topic if you reply to me. You cannot argue that this phone is heavily advertised as water resistant, and I am here to say: Nope, it’s not as tough as they say it is.

You are totally wrong.

Water damage is not covered by any warranty.

Pay for a replacement or don’t.

There is nothing we can do for you.