With the number of devices in the smartphone market, many OEMs have resolved to the inclusion of nifty features that are aimed at making their handsets stand out from the crowd.
We have seen Samsung switch to the Edge screen for its flagship handsets as it looks to stand out among the many offerings in the phablet niche. The Galaxy Note series has always stood out of the pack with its S Pen, but this year’s model added an iris scanner as well as IP68 certification.
Speaking of IP68 certification, this is the same rating you find on the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge. However, the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus only manage a rating of IP67. But what do these ratings really mean? Apparently, the Galaxy handsets can withstand water dives of up to 1.5 meters, even if it takes up to one hour with the phone resting in the pool. As for the IP67 rating on the iPhone 7, you can still take risks with the phone in light rains, small dunks that don’t go beyond 30 minutes or even receive a phone call when in the shower.
In short, the IP67 and IP68 certifications promise some decent level of protection against water and other wet environments. But this doesn’t mean you go deep sea diving, for the result will not impress you at all.
With Google aiming to beat Apple and Samsung with the new Pixel and Pixel XL phones, many expected to see an almost similar IP6X certification on the phones. However, in what turns out to be a surprising revelation, the company has just confirmed that the two handsets only manage a rating of IP53.
In case you didn’t know, the first number of the rating, in this case, 5, denotes the ability of the phone to withstand dust. As for the second number, 3, it represents the device’s ability to withstand water. So, you can do the math and see who wins the game between the Google Pixel, Apple iPhone 7 and Samsung Galaxy S7.
The IP53 rating means that the Google Pixel and Pixel XL are somehow vulnerable when it comes to water. It won’t take too much exposure to water in order to get the devices damaged, which is contrary to its closest rivals – Samsung Galaxy S7 and iPhone 7. In case you buy a Pixel or Pixel XL phone, be careful not to bring it near water as you may end up with a dead device that cost you $650.