Why are there no water-resistant phones yet, even though some companies say they have waterproof phones?
It's 2024 and manufacturers still don't make a waterproof smartphone. It's true that they've increased the water-resistance nature of smartphones, but it's still not "waterproof".
Last week, the Federal Court of Australia fined Samsung A$14 million. And why? Well, because the company made false statements in advertising about the water resistance of its phones. Samsung did not object, admitting that submerging a Galaxy smartphone in a swimming pool or seawater could corrode the charging ports and prevent the mobile phone from working.
In 2020, Apple was also fined €10 million in Italy for making misleading claims about the water resistance of iPhones.
Many people still lose their smartphones to this day because they fell into water. So why do we still not have waterproof phones?
* Making your phone waterproof requires different components and techniques. Here are some key points to keep in mind:
- The first point of protection is to form a physical barrier around all entry points (phone ports), where dust or water can enter. This includes the following elements: buttons, switches, speakers, microphone ports, camera, flash, screen, phone case, USB port, and SIM card.
- The above mentioned items are covered and sealed with glue, tape, silicone gaskets, rubber rings, plastic/metal mesh and waterproof membranes. Then, a very thin nano-coating layer of polymer is applied to the phone's circuit board to help repel water.
- In addition to the nano coating on the internal circuit boards, it is also necessary to put a water-repellent coating on the outer surface of the phone. Because it can increase the protection. There are already some companies working on this technology.
* Some points to consider:
- The phone's water resistance decreases as components age and deteriorate. Apple notes that water and dust resistance are not permanent features of its phones.
- Cameras are not completely waterproof. However, some can withstand immersion much better than smartphones. This is because these devices are usually simpler.
- Smartphones usually have a lot of features, so their internal components are more sensitive and fragile and have to be integrated into a smaller case. All of these factors make it more difficult to buy phones with a similar level of water resistance.
- Adding water resistance to phones will also increase their price to consumers (by 20-30%, according to Xiaomi's founder). This is an important consideration for manufacturers looking to make a quick profit and thus reduce costs.
Hopefully, future phones will have circuits made of silicon (waterproof), either by laser writing techniques and covered with water-resistant techniques.
But we have to be patient, because there is no waterproof phone yet. So, if your phone falls into a pool one day, make sure you take the best measures so that it dries properly and does not get damaged anymore.
Or you can also buy a waterproof case or just a dry bag if you want to completely isolate your phone when doing water activities.