We won't be surprised if you paid some extra money to buy that flagship phone which can go underwater and click some amazing snaps when you are snorkelling in Maldives. But what exactly do these phone manufacturers mean when they say IP68, IP67 water resistant. Firstly, the important word here is resistant. It isn't water-proof. Under no circumstance, should you expect your phone to be water-proof.
So, before you take your phone to the pool, or ride around in rain, be aware that it is risky. Now, decoding these IP ratings is not as straight forward as you think. Phones with the same IP rating can have different levels of water resistance. These are ratings coined by the International Electrotechnical Commission depending on the degree of protection provided by the casings or enclosures around the electronic components. The first number represents the degree of protection provided against entry of foreign solid objects, such as dust. These protection levels range from 0 to 6, with the latter being the best protection.
The second number signifies the degree of protection against entry of moisture or liquid, with levels ranging from a 0 to as high as 8.
So, IP68 is quite a supreme device in terms of protection. However, as we said, phones with same rating can behave differently depending on a lot of factors, internal and external. You might have seen videos of influencers taking their phone for a dive without any impact and at the same time would have read a thousand blogs about how a ride in the rain made their phone die.
The whole rating system is about the enclosures that restrict the entry of water. Now, every phone is built in a different way and there are numerous entry points. These test ratings are done under standard testing conditions where the water is still, not saline, no chemicals etc. The effect of sea water could be totally different or the effect of chlorine in the swimming pool could have very different impact.
While it might be worth to spend a bit buying the higher IP rated phone but that doesn't let you be casual about the way you are handling it.
Details on IP ratings by IEC are tabled below.
Source: CNET
Solid protection
| IP Code | Protection | Object size |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | No protection. | N/A |
| 1 | Protection from contact with any large surface of the body, such as the back of a hand. But no protection against deliberate contact with a body part, such as a finger. | Less than 50mm |
| 2 | Protection from fingers or similar objects. | Less than 12.5mm |
| 3 | Protection from tools, thick wires or similar objects. | Less than 2.5mm |
| 4 | Protection from most wires, screws or similar objects. | Less than 1mm |
| 5 | Partial protection from contact with harmful dust. | N/A |
| 6 | Protection from contact with harmful dust. | N/A |
Moisture protection
| IP Code | Protection | Test duration | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | No protection. | N/A | N/A |
| 1 | Protection against vertically dripping water. | 10 mins | Light rain |
| 2 | Protection against vertically dripping water when device is tilted at an angle up to 15 degrees. | 10 mins | Light rain |
| 3 | Protection against direct sprays of water when device is tilted at an angle up to 60 degrees. | 5 mins | Rain and spraying |
| 4 | Protection from sprays and splashing of water in all directions. | 5 mins | Rain, spraying and splashing |
| 5 | Protection from low-pressure water projected from a nozzle with a 6.3mm diameter opening in any direction. | 3 mins from a distance of 3 meters | Rain, splashing and direct contact with most kitchen and bathroom faucets |
| 6 | Protection from water projected in powerful jets from a nozzle with a 12.5mm diameter opening in any direction. | 3 mins from a distance of 3 meters | Rain, splashing, direct contact with kitchen and bathroom faucets, outdoor use in rough sea conditions |
| 7 | Protected from immersion in water with a depth of up to 1 meter (or 3.3 feet) for up to 30 mins. | 30 mins | Rain, splashing and accidental submersion |
| 8 | Protected from immersion in water with a depth of more than 1 meter (manufacturer must specify exact depth). | At least 30 mins | Rain, splashing and accidental submersion |
But there will be situations and incidents where you will find yourself retrieving your phone from the bottom of the swimming pool or from inside the toilet pan. If that happens though, switch off the phone and let it dry. Do not rush to switch it back on. And visit a service centre or simply visit One800 and get your phone repaired without even leaving your house.
