The iPhone 'lifejacket'

Whether it be a pool or a toilet the result is always the same - the phone sinks to the bottom and is often damaged, if not completely broken.

Now, Apple may have come up with a way to avoid this problem for good.

A recent patent application has revealed that the company is working on an automated bumper system for an iPhone case which doubles as a flotation device. 

This device absorbs shock from falls while also protecting the phone from water.

The design by Minhyung (Kevin) Moon was published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office last week, according to Apple Insider, and will automatically deploy shock absorbers when the phone senses a potential impact.

Onboard sensors track the movement of the phone, noting changes in velocity and acceleration, along with other movements that indicate a drop.

If the system, which is placed at the four corners of the iPhone, recognizes the motion as a fall, spring loaded shock absorbers shoot out from the housing, acting as 'water wings.'

Specialized support rods deploy buoyant bumper cushions, made of foam, plastic, rubber, or other materials. 

The cushions can be replaced if damaged or deteriorated, and will function as a float even if the shock absorber system has not been deployed.

With the right combination of the bumper support structure with buoyancy and orientation, the system could even make an iPhone float above the surface of water.

The iPhone flotation device could also prevent water accidents related to dropped iPhones. Replacing the phone entirely can be more expensive than fishing it out and repairing it.

Though a system like this would have practical use, it may be too costly to implement into the current design anytime soon.

The iPhone floatie isn't the only design to attempt to work around Apple devices' aversion to water. 

Another recent patent published the design for an iPhone feature that expels water directly from the speakers. 

(dailymail.co.uk)