Apple Warns Against Sleeping by Cell Phones

Ah, technology. The source of such convenience, yet so hard to disconnect from. My phone is my calendar, my wallet, my communication, and my alarm clock, which might end up killing me, or any of you that sleep next to your charging phone. Or, like me, who plays sleep music on it all night long in order to attempt sleeping before said alarm.

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Apple’s latest user guide for iOS16 comes chock-full of warnings. But who reads the fine print? None of the characters in that South Park episode HumancentiPad did, and it didn’t turn out well for them. 

So, here’s the gist–maybe it’ll keep you from “discomfort,” “injury,” or becoming a human centipede. Apple begins by saying their products meet all regional and international safety regulations and standards, BUT don't sleep next to your phone: 

• However, even within these limits, sustained contact with warm surfaces for long periods of time may cause discomfort or injury. Use common sense to avoid situations where your skin is in contact with a device, its power adapter, or a wireless charger when it’s operating or connected to a power source for long periods of time. 

• For example, don’t sleep on a device, power adapter, or wireless charger, or place them under a blanket, pillow, or your body, when it’s connected to a power source. Keep your iPhone, the power adapter, and any wireless charger in a well-ventilated area when in use or charging. Take special care if you have a physical condition that affects your ability to detect heat against the body.

As common sense as this sounds…I’ve fallen asleep with a phone on or near my pillow, and in Wyoming winter, well-ventilated is not on my list of priorities for charging my taken-for-granted technology. 

Maybe Android users have all the luxuries of calendar, wallet, alarm clock, and pillowmate in their phones.