When we are buying smartphones and wearable technology today, we are constantly bombarded with messages and claims that they can be used while swimming, in the rain, under water and so on. Of course, we don’t want our newest gadget to get wet and stop working, so we are paying attention to these messages. However, although it’s quite cool to have a gadget you can use while doing your water related activities, we have to ask ourselves is it always true? Are these devices really waterproof?

The whole truth is that there is no such thing as a waterproof device, especially if we are talking about consumer technology. All these gadgets around us are water resistant and that’s the main point. 

We have to be aware that when it comes to technology, water is our greatest enemy because we constantly get in touch with it. So, although the word “waterproof” sounds great for us, it is often misused and it can cost you.

Waterproof vs. Water-Resistant

To make things as simple as possible, let’s take a look at the meaning of these two words.

Waterproof – it simply indicates that water can’t get inside the device. Ever.

Water-resistant – water can get inside but only under specific conditions

Knowing the difference between these two is very important. For example, your phone can probably handle some rain on it without any damage, but swimming with it will be a disaster. The same applies for smartwatches, portable speakers and so on.

Now when we know the difference, let’s take a closer look at water resistance and the standards used to measure it: ATM and IP.

ATM

The word ATM isn’t an acronym, it’s a short for atmosphere. For example, the water surface level is at 1ATM. If you dive 10 meters under the water it goes to 2ATM and so on. Basically, 1ATM equals 10 meters under water.

Smartwatches and fitness bands will usually have the water resistance marked at 5ATM. It is enough to wear them while swimming, having a shower, do some diving.  The important thing here is that water resistance in wearable technology is measured in ATM which indicates how deep you can go with it. However, the water resistance of such devices depends heavily on the various seals in them. That’s why you should avoid pressing buttons while you are under the water.

IP Rating

Smartphones on the other hand don’t use ATM as a water resistance measure. They use the so-called IP (Ingress Protection) rating. This rating is normally represented by IP followed by two numbers. The first number after IP indicates the level of protection against solid materials, while the second number represents the level of protection from liquids.

For example, your smartphone can be rated at IP67. First of all, it is good to know the maximum values of these two. the maximum for the first digit is 6, and the maximum value of the second is 9. AudioReputation offers a detailed explanation of the IP Ratings and their meaning and it’s very well worth knowing what those numbers mean.

If you are buying a water-resistant smartphone you should pay attention to the second digit. A higher number indicates better protection against water and other liquids. 

Tips about water-resistant devices

Now you know that the term waterproof actually means water-resistant. Water protection is only possible under specific conditions, so let’s take a look at what you should pay attention to.

Avoid Sea Water

Although you may thing it is OK to take your phone into the sea please don’t do that. All these tests are performed in fresh water. The salt may cause damage to your phone so it’s better to avoid using your smartphone in sea water. However, if you have used it in sea water, make sure to rinse it thoroughly with fresh water after that. 

Don’t press any buttons

As we have mentioned before, avoid pressing any buttons while using the device underwater. The same applies if the device has any flaps. If it has, close them before use. Of course, there are devices where the manufacturer lets you press buttons underwater, but make sure to read that in the manual first. It’s better to be safe than sorry.

Avoid other liquids

We have also said that the IP testing is being done in fresh water. Therefore, if you spill some coffee or juice on your device you have to switch it off, take out the battery, clean and dry everything before you switch it back again.

At the end we can say that waterproof devices aren’t real, especially for consumer technology. If we are talking about watches we have to say that it is even illegal to mark a watch as waterproof. So, you are actually buying a water-resistant device and, in most cases, it is enough to protect our device, just pay attention to the ratings.