Google: IP68 does not provide permanent protection against water and dust
Many modern smartphones and other mobile gadgets are protected against the ingress of water according to their IP rating. But this does not help permanently.
Google has just unveiled its latest smartphone, the Pixel 10 Pro Fold. According to the manufacturer, it is the first foldable smartphone with an IP68 rating, which means that the device is sealed against dust, protected against contact and waterproof – This protection also applies to the ingress of water in the event of permanent and complete submersion.
However, users should not rely on this for too long, Google now writes in a post on X. In the small print below the image, Google makes a reservation: Water and dust resistance are not permanent features and will diminish or be lost over time due to normal wear and tear, repair, disassembly or damage to the device. The phone is not drop and impact resistant. A fall could lead to the loss of water and dust resistance.
Damage caused by drops, impacts and other external influences is therefore not covered by the warranty, and liquid damage voids the warranty.
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Problem known for a long time
It has long been known that protection against water ingress is not permanent. In an article from 2019, we described how TĂśV SĂĽd carries out the tests for such certifications. Firstly, such certifications only ever apply to protection against fresh water; salt water or chlorinated water are excluded. Seals can also be damaged by shampoos, so even showering with a smartphone is not necessarily a good idea.
In 2019, Australian consumer advocates sued Samsung for misleading advertising because the smartphone manufacturer had shown its devices in a beach environment in its advertising, implicitly promising consumers that the devices would still work even after a salt water bath. Samsung was then sentenced to a fine of 14 million US dollars by a federal court.
We already wrote at the time: All IP ratings only apply to new devices. No standard or test procedure can guarantee whether a product will pass the same test after two years of continuous use as it did at the beginning. Nevertheless, manufacturers always imply something different when they refer to the IP code. You should therefore not be too careless with cell phones that are advertised as waterproof. (ll)
