Are magnets really a threat to electronics?

Are magnets really a threat to electronics?

Many people have a kind of paranoia about the proximity of magnets to electronic products, worrying that the screen will be deformed, stored files will disappear, and the smartphone will be damaged by the magnet. Are people's worries unfounded? Or do magnets really pose a dire threat to electronics?
The influence of magnets on electronic products
According to a report on the Digital Trends website, Matt Newby (Matt Newby), an executive at the magnet sales website first4magnets, explained, "This concern may come from previous electronic devices, such as CRT monitors and televisions, which are susceptible to magnetic fields. When When strong magnets are brought close to such products, they can distort the image. Modern TVs and monitors are not affected by this."
Most modern electronics - such as smartphones - are not affected by small magnets. But is that really the case?
The effect of magnets on smartphones
Matt said, "The magnets we encounter in our daily life, even the magnets that are quite strong on the market, will not adversely affect the smartphone. In fact, there are a large number of very small magnets inside the smartphone, and it is very important for them to complete. functions. For example, Apple’s new Apple Watch uses a magnetic induction wireless charging system.”
However, there are a few factors people need to consider before letting a magnet touch a smartphone, Digital Trends said. Matt warns that magnetic fields, which can temporarily interfere with digital compasses and magnetometers in smartphones, are more serious than people think.
Engineers at K&J Magnetics, a magnet-selling site, used an iPhone to conduct experiments to demonstrate the effect of magnets on sensors inside a smartphone.
Michael Paul, an engineer at K&J Magnetics, explained, "The problem we found was that a magnet that was close by could affect the magnetic sensor in the phone and the digital compass would read incorrectly. Worse, if you put a strong magnet in close If you hit a mobile phone, the iron components inside the mobile phone will be magnetized and become weak magnets, which will make it difficult to correct the compass.”
Some users may think this is okay because they don't use compass apps themselves, but that doesn't mean other apps don't rely on compass. For example, Google Maps uses the compass to determine the orientation of the phone, and many games use the compass to "figure out" the user's direction.
Apple has taken this factor into account in the design of mobile phone cases and accessories. Apple states in its Case Design Guidelines that "Apple recommends avoiding the use of magnetic and metallic materials in cases." Manufacturers must ensure that the built-in magnetic compass is not affected by the case. The iPhone 6 Plus received special "care" because magnets could cause potential problems with the optical image stabilization and autofocus cameras.
Magnets may not completely hang your phone, but they can mess with some important functions, so why take the risk?
Are hard drives affected by magnets?
The idea that magnets can erase data from a hard drive is very popular, especially in movies and TV shows. In "Breaking Bad," for example, Walter White attempts to destroy evidence on a hard drive using giant electromagnets. Is the fear of magnets erasing data from hard drives outdated too?
Matt pointed out, "Data recorded using magnetic materials can be erased by magnets, including audio cassettes, floppy disks, video tapes, and credit cards. If data is recorded using magnetic materials, it can be destroyed by magnets."
Matt explained, "Theoretically, a magnet strong enough to destroy data on a hard drive if it comes into direct contact with the surface of the hard drive. However, a neodymium magnet is used inside the hard drive to operate the read/write arm and record the data, so The hard drive will not be affected by magnets of common specifications. For example, sticking the magnet to the outside of the PC case will not have any effect on the hard drive.”
Users of USB flash drives and solid-state drives don't have to worry. "USB drives and SSDs are not affected by strong static magnetic fields," Michael said.
K&J Magnetics engineers tried to use neodymium magnets to destroy data in hard drives, but they were disappointed. They placed large magnets on the side of a running hard drive until they could hear the sound of mechanical rubbing, indicating that the magnets had caused the drive's internal components to bend. Despite this, the files stored on the hard drive are still 100% intact.
Use a larger magnet to act on the hard disk that is turned off, and the files are not affected at all after the hard disk is turned on. It's clear that most businesses physically destroy hard drives because relying on magnets to delete data is unreliable.
Do people need to worry about magnets?
"At home, we're surrounded by magnets -- in every computer, speaker, TV, motor, smartphone. We can't live without magnets," Matt said.
Digital Trends pointed out that magnets seem to be wronged, but it is worth pointing out that people should still be cautious when using strong magnets. Michael explained, "Strong neodymium magnets are not toys and there have been recent media reports of toys with magnets being swallowed by young children, which pose a serious health risk. Because the magnets attract each other, causing the intestinal wall to be punctured. This requires Operate immediately."