It’s common for manufacturers of phones, smartwatches and lots of other devices to claim products are waterproof, but what do the ratings touted around by the likes of Samsung, Google, Apple and more actually mean?
Now, you won’t want to be submerging your smartphone or smartwatch into a pool or the sea anytime soon, even with the claims that they are water-resistant.
If you’re going to be travelling or going on holiday, then it’s almost certain you’ll be taking your phone along with you. Most modern smartphones these days are advertised as either waterproof or water-resistant, but what it the reality of this?
How actually waterproof is your phone?
To support their claims of water resistance, most manufacturers use a set of letters and numbers, such as IP67, IP68 and IP69. IP, which stands for Ingress Protection, is a standard for dust and water resistance as defined by a global standards body called the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC).
The first number – the ‘6’ – indicates that the device is dust-tight.
The second number refers to the level of water resistance. The higher the number, the greater the level of water resistance. The most common levels are:
‘7’ – the device can survive immersion in water depth of up to a maximum of 1 metre for 30 minutes. A category that is becoming less common as companies are making their devices to IP68 rating.
‘8’ – the device can survive immersion in water at depths up to a maximum of 3m for a period of time as specified by the manufacturer. For example, the IP68-rated Samsung Galaxy S21 can survive submersion in water up to a maximum depth of 1.5 metres for up to 30 minutes.
‘9’ – the device can survive high pressure, high-temperature water jets. IP69 devices are quite uncommon so there’s no need for further details on that one.
There are other, less commonly used water-resistance standards that manufacturers may use. MIL-STD-810 is a US Department of Defence standard for rugged devices. it used to be relatively common for some phones to claim compliance with MIL-STD-810, but the IEC’s IP standard is now far more popular.
How do manufacturers waterproof their phones?
Water-resistance in phones might seem like magical technology but achieving it relies on surprisingly common-sense techniques in order to prevent water from coming into contact with your device’s delicate circuitry. Older, now discontinued, phones had physical flaps covering their ports to prevent water from getting in.
Modern water-resistant devices protect their internals with a physical barrier between the inside casing and the circuitry. Many phones use some combination of gaskets and seals made from rubber-like materials as well as barricades of set water-resistant glue.
Is the waterproofing foolproof?
In a word, no. As your device’s water resistance depends on a physical barrier, it can degrade over time just like any other substance or material – especially if it’s exposed to water repeatedly.
If you read the small print, you’ll probably notice that immersion in pool and seawater is often excluded from their water-resistance claims. This is because the chlorine in pool water and, most dangerously of all, the salt in seawater, can cause significant damage to the water-resistant materials inside your device as well as to the circuitry.
So, taking your smartphone for a quick plunge in a swimming pool or ocean, even for a short while, would be a huge risk.
Plus, as so few devices are IP69-rated, the IEC standard for protection against high pressure and high-temperature water, it’s also advisable to keep your smart devices away from the likes of jacuzzies, jet sprays and geothermal spas.
Water resistance in the vast majority of modern devices is more about protecting them from rain and tap water than from the likes of swimming and water sports. As always, ensure the ports – especially the charging port – are completely dry before plugging anything in to avoid damage.
What if I want to take my phone underwater? What are my real options?
If you’re certain that you want to take your device into the water, no matter what its IP rating or advice, then it’d be wise to look at water-resistant cases designed for the likes of scuba divers and subsea documentary makers. These highly specialised cases can, when fitted properly, protect some phones and cameras from seawater to certain depths.
