Fake Apple Ad Claims iOS 7 Update Waterproofs Phones

Sept. 25, 2013— -- There are several ways to waterproof phones, including cases, sprays, even the hardware itself. But some pranksters on the 4chan message board tried to convince people that a software update could work just as well.

This past weekend, one of 4chan's users started a group effort to create a fake Apple ad and spread the word via social media that the new iOS 7 operating system waterproofs phones. Less than three hours later, an ad was drafted, complete with slick graphics and Apple buzzwords like "groundbreaking" and "innovation."

The fake ad was let loose on Facebook and Twitter and spread quickly. However, it's hard to discern who's in on the joke and who fell for the fake ad's claims. Some of the tweets are written with an angry tone, but it's also entirely possible that anger itself is ironic.

4chan users have turned to social media to pull online pranks before. Last year, #cutforbieber went viral on Twitter after photos of the pop star smoking marijuana were published. They also started another Justin Bieber hashtag, #baldforbieber, after posting a fake notice saying that he had cancer. 4chan itself did not initially respond to ABC News' request for comment about the pranks.

For people who fell for the ad, not all hope is lost. Sticking a water-logged phone into a bowl of rice or specialized baggie works to some extent. Worst case scenario, they can also give the Galaxy S4 Active a try. At least that phone is built for wetness protection, since it comes equipped with an underwater camera.