Apple’s iPhone 8 Will Be the Most Water-Resistant iPhone Ever
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The 2017 flagship iPhone will be even more water resistant than the iPhone 7, according to a new report.
The “iPhone 8,” as this year’s Apple flagship is expected to be called, will carry a water- and dust-resistance rating of IP68, according to industry sources cited by The Korea Herald. That’s a step above the IP67 water-resistance rating that the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus currently carry.
“Apple’s iPhone 8 will feature the IP68 rating as part of drastic upgrades marking the 10th anniversary of the iPhone this year,” the anonymous source told The Korea Herald.
From a practical standpoint, that means that Apple’s next generation of iPhone will be able to withstand being submerged in water of depths up to 1.5 meters (just under 5 feet) for up to 30 minutes, according to the International Electrotechnical Commission, the organization that publishes the guidelines for the IP standards.
In the IP, or Ingress Protection, rating itself, the “6” denotes an essentially dustproof device. The iPhone 7, which Apple only calls “splash resistant,” carries an IP67 rating. That means that the device is rated to be immersed in water under 1 meter, or around 3.3 feet, for 30 minutes. While keeping a device dry is the safest way of ensuring it won’t be damaged, many tests have found that the iPhone 7 is more water resistant than advertised.
Currently, the only smartphone on the market that carries an IP68 rating is Samsung’s Galaxy S7, which was launched early last year. Samsung’s next phone is largely expected to carry an IP68 rating, as well, AppleInsider reported. While iPhones have had water-resisting measures for years, last year’s iPhone 7 was the first Apple smartphone to be officially certified.
Along with the increased water resistance, the iPhone 8 is expected to have a revolutionary design — the “drastic changes” that the Herald’s source spoke of. Those new features include a curved OLED, edge-to-edge screen, a glass back, and wireless charging, among other changes.
[The information provided in this article has NOT been confirmed by Apple and may be speculation. Provided details may not be factual. Take all rumors, tech or otherwise, with a grain of salt.]
