While manufacturers have successfully increased the water-repelling nature of smartphones, they are still far from waterproof.
Its very common for phones to become damaged as a result of being dropped in water.
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So why is it in 2022 a time where technological marvels surround us we still dont have waterproof phones?
Its called the Ingress Protection (IP) rating.
An IP rating will have two numbers.
The International Electrotechnical Commission is the body behind the IP ratings guide.
Interestingly, the benchmark for the water-resistance rating varies between manufacturers.
Yet bothSamsungandAppleare unlikely to consider repairing your water-damaged phone under their warranties.
Moreover, IP rating testing is done undercontrolledlaboratory conditions.
So, gauging a phones level of water resistance becomes complicated.
How are phones made water-resistant?
Making a phone water-resistant requires several components and techniques.
After this, a layer of ultra-thin polymernanocoatingis applied to the phones circuit board to help repel water.
Nevertheless, a phones water resistance will stilldecreasewith time as components age and deteriorate.
Appleadmitswater- and dust-resistance are not permanent features of its phones.
Cameras are not entirely impervious to water, but some can tolerate submersion a lot better than smartphones.
Often thats because theyre relatively simpler devices.
All of these factors make it doubly difficult to afford phones a similar level of water resistance.
This is a major consideration for manufacturers especially since even a small crack can render any waterproofing void.
For now, however, theres no such thing as awaterproofphone.
