There is an unwritten law that says that we must never wet our mobile. This is understandable knowing that for physical reasons, electronics and the liquid element are two irreconcilable enemies. However, we have also seen that the advances of recent years allow mobiles such as the iPhone to be resistant to water to a certain extent, so that we can save ourselves the occasional disappointment if we accidentally fall on some surface with water.
Which iPhone are waterproof
Surely on some occasion you have heard of phones with IP67, IP68 certification or similar. These are quality standards that guarantee some protection of these equipment against splashes or dust, even allowing them to be submersible in some cases.
This is achieved by carrying out a meticulous construction process of the phone in which the sealing of these guarantees greater resistance to damage by this type of element. This is complex because at the end of the day devices like the iPhone need external connectors that, to a greater or lesser extent, allow the entry of external elements inside the terminal. That is why the 3.5 mm headphone jack was also removed in its day.
It should be noted that before offering these quality standards, the phones have had to go through strict tests under different conditions, all of them controlled by experts in specialized laboratories.
The list of iPhone with resistance to water and dust with IP67 of the IEC 60529 standard is as follows:
- iPhone 7
- iPhone 7 Plus
- iPhone 8
- iPhone 8 Plus
- iPhone X
- iPhone XR
- iPhone SE (2nd generation)
On the other hand, we have another list of resistant iPhone using the IP68 of the IEC standard 60529:
- iPhone XS
- iPhone XS Max
- iPhone 11
- iPhone 11 Pro
- iPhone 11 Pro Max
What is the degree of protection of the iPhone
IP67 and IP68 may sound like simple numbers, but there are differences between the two. The IP68 is understood to offer greater resistance to water and dust than the previous one. For practical purposes, and according to what Apple itself reports, the iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max have the ability to dive 4 meters for up to 30 minutes.
The iPhone 11, XS and XS Max meanwhile have a maximum capacity of 2 meters deep for 30 minutes. The rest of the phones, which are the iPhone 7, 7 Plus, 8, 8 Plus, X, XR and SE 2020 have protection to submerge at 1 meter for a maximum of 30 minutes. On the other hand, beyond being submersible, these phones also have resistance against splashes from water, soft drinks, coffee, beer or juices.
When it loses effectiveness against water
Something important to keep in mind to recommend not to wet the iPhone is that the level of effectiveness decreases over time . The materials that guarantee the correct sealing of the devices tends to suffer over the months, so they will not have the same degree of reliability when diving with an iPhone bought 2 days ago as one bought 2 months or 2 years ago, despite to this being the same terminal.
What to do if iPhone gets wet
The first thing you should do is if your iPhone gets wet is not to panic and avoid things like putting the iPhone to charge while it is wet. It is not good either to put the iPhone in rice, although it is something very widespread and that one tends to believe that it is beneficial to dry it. It is recommended to stand it up, with the Lightning connector down so that any water that may have entered it falls, and then wipe it with a soft, lint-free cloth to dry it.
If the liquid that has been wetting the iPhone is not water, you should first wet it with tap water, and then wipe it clean and dry it. It is also recommended to have it off for a few minutes as a preventive measure. It is recommended afterwards to tap the iPhone with the face still down, so that the liquid that may be inside falls out. It is also recommended to check the SIM card tray.
Wait a few minutes to use the iPhone again and try turning it on, so you can check if it works well. It is recommended to test the cameras, microphone and speaker to rule out any internal damage.
The warranty does not cover liquid damage
Regardless of whether or not they have a certificate of protection against water and dust, neither Apple nor any other distribution company is responsible for this type of damage. It is for this reason that a recommendation we usually make is not to wet the device under any circumstances. Nothing has to happen if the phone is new, it has the correct seals and the rules of not immersing it in greater depth are followed, but the truth is that it is better to be cautious and take into account the old saying that it is better to prevent to cure.
Perhaps additional insurance or contracting AppleCare + as an extended warranty could cover you for this type of problem. Sometimes with the payment of a franchise you can get the repair free or considerably reduce the cost of it. In any case, it will always be a good option to consider when evaluating these possible damages to your iPhone.
Repair price at Apple
When an iPhone is water damaged there is no repair possible and what Apple offers for it is a replacement iPhone to yours. The prices of these equipments are these:
- iPhone 5c: 307.10 euros
- iPhone 5s: 307.10 euros
- iPhone 6: 331.10 euros
- iPhone 6 Plus: 361.10 euros
- iPhone 6s: 331.10 euros
- iPhone 6s Plus: 361.10 euros
- iPhone SE (1st generation): 307.10 euros
- iPhone 7: 347.10 euros
- iPhone 7 Plus: 381.10 euros
- iPhone 8: 381.10 euros
- iPhone 8 Plus: 431.10 euros
- iPhone X: 591.10 euros
- iPhone XS: 591.10 euros
- iPhone XS Max: 641.10 euros
- iPhone XR: 431.10 euros
- iPhone 11: 431.10 euros
- iPhone 11 Pro: 491.10 euros
- iPhone 11 Pro Max: 641.10 euros
- iPhone SE (2nd generation): 307.10 euros
It should be noted that in any of these replacements you will get an additional guarantee, despite the fact that the phones have their quality certified. They are restored and tuned phones to work optimally, with a completely new case, battery and screen. Therefore, for practical purposes you will get a new iPhone.
