Our smartphones are over to unexpected places, whether it’s a quick dip in the toilet or a journey behind the couch to a place where only dust bunnies roam. How rugged is your device? Rated Intrusion Protection, developed by International Electrotechnical Commission and was first released in 1976, aiming to highlight a device’s level of resistance to dust and water.
The IP rating is a useful standard for comparing the general dust and water resistance of a new smartphone. However, keep in mind that IP rating tests are performed in a lab setting on brand new devices. So the protections can be greatly reduced if you throw your phone around and damage it or buy a refurbished device. If you are reading this article because your smartphone is currently wet, check out WIRED’s guide to saving a wet phone before throwing it in any bag of dry rice.
What is IP Rating?
In 2022, one of the most popular IP ratings for smartphones is IP68. Let’s break it.
After the first two characters of the rating, the next character is the level of resistance to dust and foreign objects. This scale goes from 0 to 6. Theo IEC Rating Guidenumber five means “protected against dust” and number six means “dustproof”.
The last character in the IP rating indicates water resistance, and this scale ranges from 0 to 9. A smartphone that earns a score of seven can be completely submerged in shallow water for a period of time. short time. Devices with an eight rating are certified to go several meters deeper than a device with a rating of seven, although the increase in depth may vary. For example, although both the iPhone 11 and 11 Pro are IP68 rated, the iPhone 11’s maximum depth is 2 meters and is 4 meters for the 11 Pro. The 9 ratings for water protection can be largely ignored, as it is about resistance to hot, high pressure flows, not submersion.
Taking the iPhone 13 as an example, its IP68 rating means the phone is protected from dust and can be submerged in water. Look Apple’s website Which gives its IP rating, the iPhone 13 can be submerged in water as deep as 6 meters for half an hour.
If the IP rating uses “X”, it means the device is rated waterproof or dustproof, not both. Companies choose to participate in the rating process and it is important to understand that “X” is not a failed rating, just the absence of a rating.
How waterproof and dustproof is my smartphone?
Curious about how waterproof and dustproof your current device is? Below are the IP ratings for popular smartphones.
As far as Apple devices go, the second-generation iPhone 7, 7 Plus, 8, 8 Plus, X, XR, and SE all achieve IP67 ratings. The iPhone XS, XS Max, and newer models are IP68. Of Apple’s IP68-rated options, older options are only rated for a maximum depth of 2 meters. You can submerge more recent picks up to 6 meters.
