Don't fall for the waterproof iPhone spoof

A fake advert claiming that Apple’s latest software update will automatically make devices water resistant has already tricked a number of consumers into testing the new feature.

The ad, which at first glance looks completely genuine, thanks to the characteristic use of white space and familiar fonts, is thought to have originated on the 4Chan network but has since made its way into the mainstream social media realms of Facebook and Twitter where a number of members failed to see the joke and took its details as face value.

Indeed it starts off simply by describing what iOS7 is but then under the headline:"Update to iOS 7 and become waterproof" it says: “In an emergency, a smart-switch will shut off the phone’s power supply and corresponding components to prevent any damage to your iPhone’s delicate circuitry.”

Apple’s latest software upgrade brings many new features, but waterproofing isn’t one of them as the outrage on Twitter from duped iPhone owners will testify. Currently the only readily available water-resistant smartphones on the market come from Samsung and Sony.

As for the ad’s origins, 4Chan has a reputation for infiltrating blue chip websites and social media for the sake of hoaxing its users. Some of its recent high-profile stunts include rigging Time Magazine’s Person of the Year poll in favor of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, plus a number of pranks targeting Justin Bieber fans including the hacking of the official "Entertainment Tonight" Twitter account in order to report "breaking news" that the pop superstar was diagnosed with cancer and that fans who cared about his well-being should shave their heads in support.