Is iPhone 14 Waterproof? Discussing the Durability of the Latest iPhone
The wait is finally over – the iPhone 14 hit the market this fall. The series came out on September 16 and brings four new models, or rather the same old models but upgraded. While there are some decent performance and camera upgrades, what about water resistance protection?
Like with the previous series, and most smartphones on the market today, the iPhone 14 series has an IP68 rating. Users should not get bummed out that the new series has the same water resistance as the previous one because that’s the maximum that we can get. What does this number mean? Read on.
What is IP certification?
IP stands for Ingress Protection, which is an international standard defined by the IEC Standard (International Electrotechnical Commission) that concerns the level of protection of electronic devices, such as smartphones, against the intrusion of foreign elements, such as water and dust particles.
These elements can come into contact with internal components in different ways, such as poorly protected headphone or USB connectors, gaps between cell phone seams, poor screen sealing, or even user intervention when opening the device in an unauthorized manner (which is something that most iPhone users dream of).
The IP Code serves as a guide for users to know if a cell phone (or any other electronics) has minimum protections against exposure to dirty or damp environments, so as to allow your cell phone to have a longer lifespan.
Is iPhone’s IP68 index good?
When we talk about smartphones, and to mention again why the iPhone 14 series has the same protection as iPhone 13, the IP certification codes that are most seen in specifications are IP67 and IP68, which, although similar, have differences. The code today uses two numbers - the first determines the degree of protection against dust, while the second informs the degree of protection against water.
The dust protection degrees (the first number) are as follows:
• 0: No protection;
• 1: Protection against solid objects 50 mm in diameter or more (any part of the human body, unless the contact is deliberate);
• 2: Protection against solid objects with a diameter of 12.5 mm or more (fingers or similar objects);
• 3: Protection against solid objects with a diameter of 2.5 mm or more (tools, thick handles);
• 4: Protection against solid objects with a diameter of 1.0 mm or more (cables in general, thin screws, large ants);
• 5: Dust protection (dust can still enter the device, but not enough to damage it);
• 6: Dustproof (fully sealed);
• X: Missing information.
As the iPhone 14 has an IP68 index, it is obviously fully sealed against dust and other particles.
The degrees of protection against water (the second number) are as follows:
• 0: No protection;
• 1: Protected against vertically falling drops (1 mm rain per minute);
• 2: Protected against drops that fall vertically with the body inclined at up to 15° (rain of 3 mm per minute, at an angle of up to 15º);
• 3: Protected against water spray (one spray, for up to 5 minutes in continuous mode or 10 minutes in an interleaved manner);
• 4: Protected against jets of water (one tap open, for up to 10 minutes in between);
• 5: Protected against water jets (one nozzle of 6.3 mm, the volume of 75 l/min, for up to 15 minutes);
• 6: Protected against powerful water jets (12.3 mm nozzle, 100 l/min volume, for up to 3 minutes);
• 6K: Protected against powerful high-pressure water jets (a 6.3 mm nozzle with a pressure of 10 bar, volume of 75 l/min, for up to 3 minutes);
• 7: Protected against temporary immersion in water up to 1 meter for 30 minutes (water can enter, but not enough to damage the device);
• 8: Protected against continuous immersion in water (the depth is defined by the manufacturer but the limit is generally 3 meters);
• 9K: Protected against water coming from steam jets and high pressure (jets of 80º C with pressure from 80 to 100 bar, volume from 14 to 16 l/min, for up to 2 minutes);
• X: Missing information.
Thus, a cell phone with IP67 resists a dive in a shallow pool for 30 minutes, while an IP68 can (in theory) face a dive of up to 3 meters indefinitely. Ultimately, both will have no problems with dust and sand. However, manufacturers advise users not to do this and liquid damage is generally not covered under warranty. Always check what the device manufacturer says.
Note that other than dust protection, there is no grade that makes a phone completely waterproof, including the iPhone 14. Therefore, be careful when exposing electronics to moisture.
Is my iPhone 14 waterproof?
It is not. Water resistance means that the device can have contact with fresh water for a certain period without being damaged (but it is not recommended to force it), while waterproof devices are built to be used in direct contact with water. However, even in waterproof devices, it is important to read the technical data sheet to know the supported conditions. Be that as it may, iPhone 14 is quite water-resistant and will survive drops into the bath, swimming pool, or other water-related accidents, but should not be used as a camera when diving and similar, especially in salty water. Water resistance is not there for iPhone to be used underwater, it is there to save it from water damage.
Can I shower with my iPhone 14?
It depends. Although IP68 guarantees greater water resistance, it does not mean that the devices are waterproof, as the tests are carried out in a laboratory with controlled environments. The conditions to which you can expose your iPhone 14 can be very different from those performed in laboratories, such as water pressure or temperature. Still, if you want to use your phone when taking a shower, there are waterproof pockets that can be attached to the shower glass or tiles. These are touch-friendly, meaning you can use your touchscreen without any difficulties but the phone will remain dry.
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