Is Your Phone Waterproof? IP68 Ratings Explained (Vancouver)

No phone sold today is truly waterproof. Many recent iPhone, Samsung Galaxy and Google Pixel models carry an IP67 or IP68 rating, which means they are water resistant under specific lab conditions — not that they can go swimming. Knowing what those two digits mean, and what they leave out, can save you from an expensive surprise on a wet Vancouver day.

What does IP68 actually mean?

IP stands for “Ingress Protection”. The system comes from an international standard (IEC 60529) that rates how well an enclosure keeps out solids and liquids. The code always has two digits:

• The first digit is for solids such as dust. A 6 is the top of the scale and means “dust tight” in testing.
• The second digit is for water. A 7 means the device survived temporary immersion in up to 1 metre of water for 30 minutes. An 8 means it survived immersion beyond 1 metre, under conditions the manufacturer sets.

That last part matters. Two phones can both be “IP68” and have been tested to different depths and times. One maker might test at 1.5 metres, another at several metres. The exact depth and duration for your model are listed on the manufacturer’s specification page, so check there rather than assuming.

If you see an “X” in place of a digit (for example IPX7), it simply means that category wasn’t tested — it doesn’t mean zero protection, just no published result.

IP67 vs IP68: is there a real difference?

On paper, IP68 means the phone passed a deeper or longer immersion test than IP67. In everyday life, both ratings are aimed at the same thing: surviving a splash, rain, or a quick accidental dunk in a sink or puddle. Neither is designed for deliberate underwater use.

When comparing phones, the rating is a useful tiebreaker, but how you treat the phone matters far more than whether it says 67 or 68. A two-year-old IP68 phone that has been dropped on concrete a few times may be less resistant than a newer IP67 phone that has lived in a case.

What the rating doesn’t cover

Lab tests use fresh water that is still and at room temperature. Real life is messier. These situations go well beyond what the tests simulate:

• Salt water and chlorinated pools. Salt and chemicals can corrode the charging port and damage seals. Manufacturers generally advise against using phones at the beach or in the pool.
• Showers, hot tubs and saunas. Heat and steam can work past seals in ways cold water doesn’t, and soap and shampoo lower water’s surface tension so it gets in more easily.
• Water with force behind it. A tap running hard, a hose, waves or a waterslide hit the phone with pressure that a still-water test doesn’t include.
• Other liquids. Coffee, pop, beer and juice are sticky and can leave residue in the port, speaker grilles and buttons.
• Long or deep soaks. Going past the depth or time on the spec sheet is outside what was tested.

Liquid damage is usually treated differently from other faults by phone makers, so don’t rely on the IP rating as a safety net. Check your manufacturer’s terms if you’re unsure what applies to your phone.

Why water resistance fades over time

A phone’s water resistance comes from adhesive around the screen and back glass, plus small gaskets around buttons, the SIM tray and openings. Those seals aren’t permanent. Apple, for example, notes that splash, water and dust resistance can decrease as a result of normal wear. Things that speed that up include:

• Drops and impacts, even ones that leave no visible crack, can shift the frame slightly or loosen adhesive.
• Cracked screens or back glass leave a direct path for moisture.
• Heat, such as leaving the phone on a car dashboard, softens adhesive.
• A swollen battery can push the screen or back up and break the seal.
• Any repair that opens the phone means the original adhesive is replaced. Ask your repair shop about resealing, and still treat the phone as less water resistant afterward.

If your screen or back glass is cracked, assume the phone has lost most of its water resistance until it’s fixed.

Everyday habits for Vancouver weather

Vancouver’s rain is more often a steady drizzle than a downpour, which is exactly the kind of exposure IP-rated phones handle well. A few habits keep it that way:

• Keep the phone in an inside pocket or bag during heavy rain instead of using it for long stretches outdoors.
• Wipe it dry before plugging in a charger — a wet port is the most common cause of charging warnings.
• Use a case that covers the edges so a drop doesn’t compromise the seals.
• Close the SIM tray fully; a tray that sits loose isn’t sealed properly.
• Skip taking the phone into the shower or hot tub, even if the box says IP68.
• If you spend time on the seawall, beaches or the water, a sealed waterproof pouch is a better choice than trusting the rating.

For more tips, see our guide to keeping your phone dry on rainy Vancouver days.

If your phone gets wet anyway

Even a water-resistant phone deserves quick, careful handling after a soak:

1. Get it out and power it off if it was submerged or isn’t behaving normally.
2. Dry the outside with a soft, lint-free cloth. If it was salt water, coffee or another liquid, Apple’s guidance for iPhone is to rinse it gently with tap water and then dry it.
3. Tap it gently, port facing down, to let water drain from the charging port.
4. Don’t charge it while it’s wet. Many phones show a liquid-detected warning in the port; wait until it clears. Don’t use a hair dryer or heater.
5. Skip the bag of rice. Apple specifically advises against it, since small particles can get into the phone.
6. Watch for warning signs over the next few days: fogging under the camera lens, a muffled speaker, flickering screen or charging problems.

Our step-by-step post on what to do when your phone is dropped in water goes into more detail.

Water damage help in Downtown Vancouver

If your phone took a dip and something isn’t right, or a crack means the seals are already compromised, MyChoice Mobile Repair can take a look. Our kiosk is in Downtown Vancouver on Granville Street (798 Granville St) and is open every day from 9 AM to midnight. We handle water damage, screen and back glass repairs for iPhone, Samsung and other major brands, and carry protective phone cases.

Call (236) 785-8300 to check your model, or ask for a quote online. Bring it to the kiosk and we’ll check.