Even though many mobile devices claim to be “water resistant,” this does not mean they are completely safe from water damage. Has your smartphone ever dropped while in the bathroom, gotten wet from a spilled drink, or both? An estimated 25% of phone users have had their devices damaged by water or other types of liquid.
A smartphone’s performance can be adversely affected by liquids invading the device. It has the potential to result in the following consequences:
- Water can cause fuzzy images if it gets into the camera lens.
- blurred sound, or no audio at all:
- drops of water are on the screen.
- charging port can get affected.
- internal components that start to rust
- a complete loss of the device.
To be clear, just because a phone is labelled “water resistant” doesn’t imply it’s waterproof. A phone that is water resistant just means that it can survive under water for some time before it gets damaged.
What level of water resistance does your phone have?
An “ingress protection” code is used to measure how well phones can withstand water. This code is called an IP rating. The IP rating of an electronic gadget is based on how well it can protect itself from elements like liquids or solids. As you can see below, two digits are included in the rating. One shows resistance to particles like dust, and the other shows resistance to liquids like water
.It’s impossible for dust, dirt, or sand to get inside an IP68-rated phone. However, IP68-rated phones are protected against liquids up to 8 inches deep (protected from immersion in water to a depth of more than one metre). Though, phone manufacturers are expected to define the exact depth and time for water or liquids.
People love the iPhone 12 and Samsung Galaxy S21 phones because they both have a waterproof rating of IP68. Although, when it comes to water, the iPhone 12 can be submerged for 30 minutes at a maximum depth of 6m, while the Galaxy 21 can only be submerged for 1.5m, also for 30 minutes.
When you look at IP ratings, you can see how water-resistant phones are. If you take most phones for a swim, you’ll get into trouble. The salt in oceans and swimming pools can damage your device and cost you a lot of money to buy a new one. As a result, smartphone makers do their IP tests in freshwater, and Apple doesn’t recommend submerging your phone in water of any kind. There is a good thing, though: water resistant phones are usually able to withstand small amounts of liquid, like when a glass falls over.
Making sure there is no water damage
People who make phones think about water when they make them. Most Apple and Samsung phones have a strip inside the SIM card tray that tells you if there has been liquid contact or damage. This is used to look for liquid damage that could be making a device not work right. It looks different when an indicator strip comes into contact with liquid.
A discoloured strip usually makes your mobile unqualified for a standard warranty from the manufacturer. The most recent phones made by Apple or Samsung can tell when there is liquid or moisture in their charging ports and will give you a notification. This message only goes away when the port is dry. When this horrible pop-up shows up, what should you do about it?
Getting a water-logged phone to work again
- To start, shut down the device right away. Do not press any buttons.
- It doesn’t matter if your phone is water-resistant, but if you spilled or submerged it in something other than water, both Apple and Samsung recommend rinsing it off with still tap water to clean it (but not under a running tap, which could cause damage).
- Make sure the phone is completely dry by wiping it down with paper towels or a gentle cloth.
- It’s best to shake the device gently to get water out of the charging ports, but don’t shake it too hard, because this could spread the liquid even more inside.
- After that, take out the SIM card and keep it in a safe place.
- You can use an aerosol air duster to blow the water away if you have one. If you want to use a hot blow dryer, don’t. The heat can damage the rubber seals and the screen. A fan can help dry the phone and its ports.
- Put your device in a sealed container filled with silica gel packets (the little packets that come with new shoes and bags), or some other drying agent, to keep it from getting wet. These are good at soaking up the water.
- Don’t charge your device until you know it is indeed dry. A device that is wet can get even worse if you charge it.
- People who use Apple products should wait at least five hours before charging their phones (or until the alert disappears).
- Don’t attempt to open the mobile yourself if the tips listed don’t work. Seek the help of an expert or technician.
