Are There Waterproof Phones?[Answered]
There are waterproof phones in the market that you can buy. These waterproof phones can survive accidental spills, splashes and falling in shallow water.
But they have their limits. You have to add extra protection if you want to take them for scuba diving or swimming.
Waterproof phones are waterproof up to a certain point. So they have a rating called Ingress Protection(IP) rating. The IP rating is an international standard how your phone can withstand water, dust, dirt and sand.
Common Phones Water Resistant Ratings
The most common ratings are IP67 and IP68. The first number(0 to 6) on the IP rating is the measurement of protection that the phone has against solids(dust, dirt and sand). The second number (0 to 9) is for protection against fresh water.
IP RATINGS SCALE |First Number | Solids Protection | | ——| ———— | | 0 | Zero protection. | | 1 | solid objects greater than 50 mm protection. | | 2 | Solid objects greater than 12 mm diameter protection. | | 3 | Solid objects greater than 2.5mm diameter protection. | | 4 | Solid objects greater than 1.0mm diameter protection. | | 5 | Dust protection. | | 6 | Dust proof. No Ingress of dust. |
| Second Number | Water Protection |
|---|---|
| 0 | Zero protection protection. |
| 1 | Vertically dripping water protection. |
| 2 | Dripping water when tilted up to 15° protection. |
| 3 | Spraying water at an angle of up to 60° from vertical protection. |
| 4 | Splashing water when the enclosure is tilted at any angle up to 15° protection. |
| 5 | Water jets from any direction protection |
| 6 | Heavy seas or powerful jets of water protection. |
| 7 | The effects of short term immersion (under defined conditions of pressure and time) protection. |
| 8 | Submersion (under conditions specified by the manufacturer) protection. |
| 9k | Close-range high pressure, high temperature spray downs protection. |
Its important to note that IP rating is for fresh water. It does guarantee the protection will work for other fluids like beer, salt water, soup, sauce and honey.
IP69K Phone Waterproof Rating
Phones with IP69K can withstand high-pressure, high-temperature water jet sprays, steam-cleaning, or washdowns.
Cat S62 Pro, Cat S42 and Cat S52 smartphones have a rating of IP69K.
1. IP68 Phone Waterproof Rating
The highest water resistant smartphone rating is IP68. A phone with this rating can survive in 1.5 metres of fresh water for 30 minutes without any leaks or damage.
Some of the smartphones with IP68 rating are: iPhone 13 Pro, Iphone 12, Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, Google Pixel 6 Pro, OnePlus 10 Pro, and Google Pixel 6.
2. IP67 Phone Waterproof rating
Water will have no effect on an IP67 smartphone submerged in fresh water 1 meter deep for 30 minutes.
Examples of IP67 smartphones are: iPhone SE and Google Pixel 5a.
Where to Find IP Rating for Smartphone
If you look on the phone’s description on the merchant’s or manufacturer’s website, you will see the rating prominently displayed.
If you have already bought the phone, the phone’s user guide might contain more information of the IP rating.
Conclusion
Before you go dunking your waterproof phone in water you should know that even waterproof phones can get damaged by water.
So, next time you go swimming, kayaking or scuba diving, you can take proper precautions to keep your phone dry during your water adventures.