How waterproof is your smartphone?

When you buy a smartphone, you often look for a great camera, design, battery, and performance, but one factor that adds significant value is its durability. And one of the best ways to judge a phone's durability is with the help of its "IP" or "International Protection" certifications.

Apple, Samsung, Sony and other popular smartphone brands throw around these technical terms quite often. Some companies boldly state that their smartphones are water-resistant or even waterproof. But does it mean you can start your underwater explorations of coral reefs using your iPhone or any Samsung or Sony smartphone? Certainly not.

It is important that users of any smartphone understand the limitations of the "IP" certifications and exactly what companies mean when they say a phone is waterproof or water-resistant.In this article, we are going to thoroughly explain what smartphones carrying such labels are truly capable of by clearing the air on advertising gimmicks.

Let's first start by understanding what those "IP" certifications really mean. IP stands for "International Protection" or "Ingress Protection", which is basically a rating scale to determine your smartphone's dust and water resistance. IP is always followed by two numbers — the first one tells us about dust protection and the second one about water.

Let's give you an example. Apple iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus and the models after that are rated IP67. The number six means the iPhones are pretty solid against dust since it is the highest rating on a scale that goes from zero to six. The second number is seven, which means the iPhones have decent resistance against water, but cannot be claimed waterproof. The highest number in the ingress protection scale is nine.

Are all IP68 phones waterproof?

That varies from one brand to another. If any smartphone has an IP68 rating with all ports sealed and the company calling it waterproof, then there's no doubt on its durability against water or dust. However, some brands use the water-resistant label even with IP67/68 certification, which means the brands are advising caution while using the smartphone underwater or while hiking.