There are few things we use more on a daily basis than the smartphone. In countries like Europe, it is already the first way to access the Internet, and it is also the default means of communication, partly thanks to the success of applications like WhatsApp. This means that cell phones spend a lot of time in our hands and can suffer from accidents.
Of course, any appliance can break down, but when we talk about household appliances or appliances that are in the same place, like a television or a toaster, the risk of it being bumped or wet is not as high as that of smartphones. This is why many brands have started making their smartphones water resistant.
For this, we used IP certification, a protocol which guarantees that a device is capable of resist certain conditions of water and dust particles. Depending on its construction, this certification guarantees more or less resistance. The problem is that it is something that can change with use and, above all, it does not guarantee that certain things can be done with the mobile.
What is IP certificate
The IP certification is a certificate belonging to the International Electrotechnical Commission, an organization that standardizes technological protocols in areas such as electricity or electronics, where cell phones are included. Concretely, the IP certificate is found in the IEC 60529 protection standard.
What this certification guarantees is that the device that carries it has been subjected to certain tests which certify a specific degree of protection against the entry of solid or liquid objects. This quality can change depending on the needs of the company manufacturing it.
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra in a fountain
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This way, based on the numbers behind these acronyms, you will be able to know before purchasing a product. the resistance it will have when it comes to withstanding certain environmental conditions. There are other certifications designed for more extreme cases, and some mobile phones incorporate them. A good example is the MIL-STD 810G military grade certification.
What types are there
The first number refers to resistance to solid objects that a device can have. Depending on the diameter of the object, it will have one protection or another, but the most common is the highest of them, number 6. This prevents dust from entering the terminal, so that it does not does not affect his behavior. On some cheaper cell phones, you see certifications that have a 5 in the first number, which indicates that dust can get in, but this shouldn’t be a problem.
| 0 | Without protection |
| 1 | An object smaller than 50mm cannot enter the device. |
| 2 | An object smaller than 12.5mm cannot enter the device. |
| 3 | An object smaller than 2.5mm cannot enter the device. |
| 4 | An object smaller than 1mm cannot enter the device. |
| 5 | Dust may enter, but this does not affect the operation of the device. |
| 6 | Dust cannot enter under any circumstances. |
A cell phone that falls into the water
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The second number refers to protection against water or liquids.. Of course, in the case of immersions, mention is made of fresh water, and not of sea salt water or other liquids, which could damage the terminal due to their additives, and not due to the liquid. in question.
| 0 | No protection against water. |
| 1 | Lightweight splash protection. |
| 2 | Lightweight protection against splashes from all directions. |
| 3 | Protection against splashing water. |
| 4 | Protection against water jets, 10l per minute at a pressure of 80-100kN/m^2 for 5 minutes. |
| 5 | Protection against water jets with a 6.3 mm diameter nozzle at 12.5 l per minute with a pressure of 30 kN/m^2 |
| 6 | Protection against jets with an average of 100l per minute and a pressure of 30kN/m^2 |
| 7 | The device can be fully submerged for a distance of less than one meter for 30 minutes. |
| 8 | Complete protection against immersion with a degree established by the manufacturer, but always above 7 |
| 9K | Protection against very powerful jets at high temperatures. |
In this case, it is common to see level 4 certifications for the cheapest cell phones, which usually go hand in hand with level 5 certifications for solid phones, and certifications 7 and 8 for the most expensive cell phones. resistant. That’s to say, The normal thing in Europe is to see cell phones with IP67 or IP68, but some also with IP54. It is also possible to see models with certifications such as IPX7, which indicate that they have been designed to prevent the entry of liquids but have not been tested with solids. It is rare to see such certification, but in the past, some models had it.
Can certification be lost?
What many users don’t know is that What this certification guarantees is that the device meets these standards right out of the box., it’s like logic. From this moment, depending on its use, this resistance may be lost. This can happen for many reasons, such as a fall.
Sony mobile with water resistance
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When a mobile phone is dropped, even if it is not broken, some components may become loose. and that means if it gets wet, water will enter. It’s not something you can always see with the naked eye. Obviously, if there is a crack on the screen, the protection will be zero, but if the impact has occurred, move the charger slightly, even if it continues to work, if water gets into it, This will damage the device.
Which cell phones are equipped with it?
As this is an expensive process to implement, brands often wonder whether they should create devices that comply with it or not. And when they do, they usually brag about it, like they brag about having brighter screens or cameras with more megapixels. In Europe we are currently starting to see mid-range devices that already have some resistance to water and dust. Here are some of the current models who have certification:
- IP54 certified mobile phones: Xiaomi Redmi Note 13, Poco
- IP67 or IP68 certified mobile phones: iPhone 11, iPhone 12, iPhone 13, iPhone 14, iPhone 15, Samsung Galaxy A35, Samsung Galaxy A55, Samsung Galaxy S24, Motorola Edge 50 Pro, Xiaomi 14, Google Pixel 8, Google Pixel 6a, Google Pixel 7a…
There are hundreds of terminals marketed in recent years that exhibit this resistance. It’s impossible to make a list, but there are brands like Apple, Samsung and Google include it not only in their most expensive terminals, but also in mid-range ones.. In Apple’s case this applies to all iPhones, Samsung includes it in some best-selling Galaxy A’s and Google in its cheaper A models.
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