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Certification, depth, guarantee … The waterproofness of smartphones can become a real puzzle. Let's get back to the essential elements to know before you put your motive to the test of Archimedes' push.

Apple iPhone 12Note Les Numériques(5)lire le testAcheter d'occasion : Acheter neuf : Fonctionnement du tableau de prixSamsung Galaxy S21Note Les Numériques(9)lire le testAcheter d'occasion : Acheter neuf : Fonctionnement du tableau de prix

Summer is here and with him the possibility to see his smartphone plunge into the water. But before taking pictures at the bottom of the pool-with or without a sea sweater-or venturing into a river, it is necessary to understand how the waterproofing of a mobile terminal works. Before we start, let's clarify one thing. No smartphone is completely waterproof! Some are more resistant to water than others, but no mobile is designed to live around H2O. Samsung and Sony had paid the price a few years ago. So what's at stake is how much your smartphone can withstand water.

How do I know if your smartphone is waterproof?

In order to guide consumers, there is an international certification. Issued by an independent body, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), it is known as the Index of Protection or more commonly known as IP. This index, which covers both the intrusion of solid and liquid bodies, comes in a multitude of levels ranging from IP00 to IP69.

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What are the best waterproof smartphones?

A "good smartphone" is good. A "good waterproof smartphone" is better! so since this advantage is often poorly valued, not enough...

To understand this standard, be aware that the first digit indicates protection against a fall or intrusion of a solid body. Ranging from 0 to 6, the highest number is the best protection. At the most, the smartphone will be dust tight. But this is the second digit that interests us here, since it concerns the intrusion of liquids. From 0 to 9, it oscillates between water drop resistance and total immersion at a depth of 2 m. For smartphones, five degrees are commonly used.

Certification	Corps solides	Corps liquides
IP52	Protégé contre les poussières	Protégé contre les chutes de gouttes d'eau jusqu'à 15° de la verticale
IP53	Protégé contre les poussières	Protégé contre les chutes de gouttes d'eau et la vaporisation d'eau jusqu'à 60° de la verticale
IP54	Protégé contre les poussières	Protégé contre la projection d'eau quelle que soit la direction
IP67	Hermétique aux poussières	Protégé contre une immersion jusqu'à 1 m de profondeur pendant 30 min
IP68	Hermétique aux poussières	Protégé contre une immersion de longue durée à au moins 2 m de profondeur

Note that there is an IP69 index that guarantees total waterproofing, but no smartphone has ever been eligible to date. Of course, smartphones that do not show any of these clues are not protected from water at all. Finally, Apple indicates varying levels of sealing within the same standard. According to the manufacturer's website, both the iPhone 12 and the iPhone XS are IP68, yet the former is certified waterproof to a depth of 6 m for 30 min, while the latter is only free up to 2 m during the same period of time.

How is a smartphone sealed?

To protect a smartphone, manufacturers use rubber seals and glu to seal the chassis. Depending on the models, printed circuits may even be covered by a layer of hydrophobic product.

Xiaomi Mi 11 UltraNote Les Numériques(1)lire le testAcheter d'occasion : Acheter neuf : Fonctionnement du tableau de prixSamsung Galaxy A52 5GNote Les Numériques(2)lire le testAcheter d'occasion : Acheter neuf : Fonctionnement du tableau de prix

Can the waterproofness of a smartphone be compromised?

Yes, I do. Several elements can compromise the promised waterproofness of a smartphone. First of all, time can damage the joints and the glu can wither. A waterproof smartphone on the first day may not be waterproof a year later. Worse still, a shock can affect waterproofing. The adhesives used can cut off, the glu can become loose, and the components become vulnerable to liquids.

Is your smartphone guaranteed after immersion?

Probably not. Manufacturers' policies are slightly different, but overall, your smartphone will lose its warranty after immersion. This is often seen as a "mishandling" of the terminal, despite IP68 certification. At Apple and Samsung, any dive will be at your own risk. All the more so since any fall, if detected by the after-sales service, is considered to be "improper handling or mistreatment of the product". In his list, Samsung mentions as an example "a false maneuver, fall, shock, contact with sand, water or any other substance, etc.". Contacted, Xiaomi assures that "the service works only if the product has not been damaged before. The telephone is waterproof in both freshwater and seawater thanks to the IP68. However, like any type of product that goes underwater, it must be rinsed after a passage at sea. "

In conclusion, the slightest fall or even the slightest witness of a fall could be used by the manufacturer to blow up his warranty.

Thomas Delozier

Mobility journalist. Nostalgic for the south, the anisette is its fuel, Zidane will vote in 2022.

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