What You Need to Know About Waterproofing Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL
Your new smartphone may be missing a headphone jack, but it probably has a cool new feature that makes up for that: water resistance. The Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL smartphones are the latest smartphones from the search giant that have ditched the 3.5mm jack (making its waterproof efforts more effective) in favor of dust and water resistance. But there are several ways to classify dust or waterproof devices. Here’s how to determine how durable your new smartphone is without using a sand bucket and garden hose to test it.
What is IP rating?
The Google Pixel 2, along with Apple’s trio of new iPhones and Samsung’s Galaxy Note8, are water and dust resistant. They all have an industrial protection rating (also known as IP) indicating what will or will not enter the device in terms of foreign bodies (such as dust, sand, and small tools) and moisture (such as exposure to rain or an hour. Ocean immersion ). An increasing number of high-end smartphones are adding water and dust resistance to their list of features.
The Pixel 2, iPhone X, and iPhone 8 have an IP67 rating, while the Samsung Galaxy Note8 has an IP68 rating. Additional information included in IP ratings can indicate whether the device is resistant to mechanical stress such as drops and shocks, or other adverse conditions (such as high voltages).
What these ratings really mean and how to read them
First digit:
The first digit in the IP rating indicates the level of protection against particulate matter. For smartphones, a particulate matter rating of 6 means your device is dustproof and undergoes a vacuum process to prevent intrusion. Take your phone with you to the beach, take some close-ups using the feather cleaning technique, or take selfies on the sand dunes. A rating of 5 means that your device is only somewhat dust resistant and should function if dust, sand or other foreign bodies get inside. Any number below 5 means the device is not certified for dust resistance and is susceptible to intrusion by anything from ants to wires and fingers.
If your IP rating is marked with an X instead of a number, it means that the device has not been tested to resist dust or liquid ingress and cannot be considered suitable for these conditions. Avoid sand dunes.
Second digit:
The second digit in the IP rating indicates the level of protection against liquid ingress. If you’ve ever taken your phone for repair just to find some water damage from a hot shower, you can thank your device for your device’s failure to prevent water from getting inside. The Google Pixel 2 has a liquid ingress rating of 7, which means it can withstand a morning shower, as well as being fully submerged in water up to a meter deep for 30 minutes, giving you more than enough time to shed your pants and jump in. water for the phone.
Just because your phone can survive swimming in a pool doesn’t mean you should start taking pictures of Aquaman cosplay immediately. Water can affect the operation of the touchscreen or damage it while it is underwater. The Samsung Galaxy Note8 has a liquid ingress rating of 8, which means it can survive in water at least 1.5 meters deep for 30 minutes. The specific conditions under which IPX8 devices are suitable must be specified by the manufacturer. Regardless of the degree of protection against liquid ingress, if your smartphone falls into a salt water pool, you must rinse it with fresh water to prevent corrosion.
Additional letters:
You can see additional letters next to the IP rating of the device. The letter “f” indicates the resistance of the device to oil, and the letter “H” indicates that the device can withstand high voltages. You probably won’t see them on your smartphone, but other more reliable devices may have additional letters that define how durable they are.