That's why modern water-resistant devices don't need finicky port covers to keep the water out. Problem is, none of these techniques are enough to keep water out indefinitely. There's no such thing as a waterproof phone. Don't do this at home. Apple recommends you never intentionally submerge an iPhone in water, even if it's water-resistant. "With enough pressure, water will travel through; it's just a matter of how much is needed," says iFixit's Havard. That's why Apple, Samsung, and Sony are so insistent on the phrase "water-resistant" instead of "waterproof."But there's also the little matter of water with added chemicals. For instance: salt.
Sony used to proudly advertise that you could take pictures underwater with its Xperia phones, But in 2015, Sony got in trouble with Australian regulators and citizens who claimed the phones stopped working (and even rusted) after a swim in the pool, block b iphone case What Sony may not have counted on: Australia's home swimming pools typically use salt water, which can corrode and breach the seals of a water-resistant phone, Practically overnight, Sony changed its tune -- it started explicitly telling people not to use their phones underwater, and to keep them far away from salt..
Above: Sony used to advertise its phones as waterproof. Not anymore. And while Sony's stance has slightly softened since ("If you want to use your device to get underwater close-ups of a spectacular dive or your child's first swimming lesson, go ahead," read the company's current guidelines), the company says that advice only applies to a chlorinated freshwater (not salt) swimming pool, with an IPX8-rated phone (more on that in a sec), and that you need to rinse off the chlorine with fresh water afterwards.
Meanwhile, Apple has a whole list of things you shouldn't do with a water-resistant phone, Look close, and you'll see a rubber gasket on the edge of the SIM card tray block b iphone case in recent Samsung Galaxy phones, When companies say their phones are water-resistant, here's what they really mean: the phone was able to withstand a certain amount of water for a certain period of time, How much? Depends on the IP ratings, I won't go into too much detail about the IP rating system here, because we've got a whole CNET article about that, Suffice it to say water-resistant phones are tested to see if they can..
And that's about it. (If you're sitting on the bottom of a swimming pool for half an hour, you've got bigger issues.). But that (and protection against dust) is all an IP rating guarantees, and it only proves a manufacturer managed to pass those tests in their lab. It says nothing about being able to actually use a phone underwater, or drop a phone into water instead of gently submerging its frame, or with other types of liquid. Above: How Samsung tests its Galaxy S7 Edge for water resistance. The IP ratings also don't guarantee that your phone will still be able to survive water after a bit of wear and tear, or even simply sitting out on a shelf.
