Is Your Smartphone Water-Resistant?

Smartphones are valuable gadgets for everyday life, but they are also very fragile. If they get in contact with water, they may be susceptible to damage, even if not immediately. That’s why manufacturers have made efforts to make water-resistant smartphones. However, a water-resistant phone is not entirely waterproof, and it can be vulnerable in wet conditions. In this article, we’ll provide you with vital insights below about smartphone water resistance.

Know the Ingress Protection (IP) Rating

Knowing your smartphone’s IP rating is the commonly known way to tell if your phone is water-resistant. An IP rating lets you know how much protection your device has against dust and water/liquids/moisture. The first digit denotes protection against dust, and it is usually between 0 and 6. The second number shows protection against water and is generally between 0-8.

The devices with the best water-resistance provision will typically be those with IP67 or IP68. The device can survive a dunk in water for a while with such a rating, usually 30 minutes. However, it is essential to note that companies test devices for IP ratings using freshwater. This means that the results may be different if the phone is exposed to different environments like salty water, water with chlorine, or different liquids.

Smartphone companies also market devices as water-resistant, but they will typically not cover for damage caused by water in their warranties.

Test Using an App

If you use an Android phone, you can check for its water resistance using the reviewed Water Resistance Tester app from Google Play Store. It works by accessing your phone’s barometer to test the ability of the device’s waterproof IP rating sealing. It uses the smartphone’s barometric pressure sensor to determine minute differences in pressure.

It assists people in checking for waterproof sealing over time or after repair. Due to your device getting old, the seals can potentially be compromised. For example, smartphones that may have had a battery change, screen replacement, or any job that required opening up the device may have compromised seals.

If your device gets exposed to water, to be safe:
Use a waterproof phone cover.
Check the phone screen for any moisture to get an idea of the extent of the damage.
Please turn it off and use a cloth to dry it up as much as you can.
If the battery is removable, take it out and look for a white patch with a red pattern. If the colors are intact, water has not gotten in, but a trace of pink indicates water presence.
After a while, you can switch up the phone to see that the ports are still functional.
It is advisable to take the phone to a care center as a precaution against further damage.

The Bottom Line

Even though your smartphone may be tagged water-resistant with an excellent IP rating, it does not mean that it is invulnerable to water damage. You need to be fully responsible for your device and have realistic expectations. Unfortunately, even manufacturers don’t cover water damage. Thus, don’t put your device to an unnecessary water test.