Yes, Apple’s iPhone 7 is officially water resistant now. iPhone 6s was also water resistant, but Apple never marketed it as such since it didn’t want to make a false claim. After all, when have you ever heard Apple flaunt a feature unless they were fully confident about it?
So, how water resistant are the new iPhone and Apple Watch? What do you mean by a ‘Water Resistant iPhone’? And is it the same as “waterproof”?
Waterproofing is a Myth
If anyone tells you that a phone or a watch is waterproof, it’s a lie. Don’t believe it. Waterproofing means that the device can withstand water at any pressure for any amount of time, and there is no watch or phone in the market capable of doing that. Not even the iPhone 7 and Apple Watch 2. Is iPhone 7 water resistant? Sure. Is it waterproof? Nope.
So, how water resistant is the iPhone 7? For that, you will have to understand the IP (International Protection) rating for water resistance.
International Protection Marking
International Protection Marking or IP rating is the industrial norm for deciding the dust and water resistance for a device. It consists of two numbers followed by “IP”, let’s say IPXY where,
– X is the resistance of the device to dust based on the size of dust particles
– Y is the resistance of the device to water based on the depth of water and submersion time.
For Dust:
3 = Protection from dust particles less than 2.5 mm in size
4 = Protection from dust particles less than 1 mm in size
5 = Partial protection from harmful dust particles for devices
6 = Protection from harmful dust particles
For Water:
6 = Protection from a water shooting jet of 12.5 diameter nozzle for 3 minutes from a distance of 3m
7 = Protection from immersion in water for depth up to 1 m for 30 minutes
8 = Protection from immersion in water for depth of at least 1 m for 30 minutes
9K = Protection from close-range high-pressure water jets.
How Water resistant are iPhone 7 and 7 Plus?
iPhone 7 and 7 Plus are rated at IP67 standards, which means that the devices can withstand up to 1 m of water for 30 minutes. In the real world, this would mean:
– You can use your iPhone 7 in the rain and get away with it.
– You can use your iPhone 7 and 7 Plus in the shower, but not for long (take a quick call, maybe).
– You can use your iPhones in the swimming pool, but it is subject to the way you enjoy being in a swimming pool. If you jump into the pool, and the impact is higher than just being 1 m into it, it can open the ports and let the water in. So, be careful with that.
– You can drop your phone in the toilet or the sink. Provided that the impact of the fall is not so large as to break the device, your phone should be fine. Be careful to pick it up right away, though. Wait for long and you will be left with an iPhone 7 looking piece of metal.
Apple Watch and Water Resistance
Like I said, no watch or phone is waterproof and Apple Watch Series 2 is no exception. But the new Watch is much more resistant to water than the new iPhone. Apple Watch Series 2 is waterproof up to 50m depth.
50 m is a decent depth for a watch, and you can wear the new Apple Watch while swimming, surfing or doing that cannonball. That means, while you might have to leave your iPhone behind with your friends on the beach, your Apple watch can join you while you go riding some waves. Sounds like a whole lot of fun!