I have a screen protector and a sturdy case on my phone, which probably says something about me as a person. But terms like "splash resistant", "waterproof", and even "military grade" are terms that exist on a spectrum - how much "splash" can something withstand? How deep is something waterproof? What if one of the military ranks was "F?" Luckily, between existing IP (Ingress Protection) standards and the thousands of people dropping phones in water on YouTube, we can get a pretty good idea of what these terms mean.
ContentsIngress Protection RatingsSplash Resistant/Splash ResistantWater ResistantWater ResistantMilitary GradeConclusion:No Swimming in the Deep End
If you have a phone, watch, Bluetooth speaker, or other device that says it's splash-proof, it could go from IPX1 to IPX4, and even up to IPX6 in some cases (although that's probably announced if true). With these devices, you can probably use them in the rain for a few minutes or spill a little water on them. Of all the general categories, this one tends to be the weakest, as the splash resistance bar is quite low.
This is the broadest category, so it's the hardest to really understand. Technically, water resistance should mean a device can survive a little immersion, but in practice, especially on cheaper phones, that just means it can take a little spray. Usually this denotes an increase in splash resistance, so these devices will often have an IPX5 or IPX6 splash rating (can handle heavy rain/large spills) or an IPX7 or IPX8 immersion rating. If the device just says "water resistant" and doesn't have an IP rating, you should just refer to "splash resistant" above, because that's probably what it is.
If you want to be a little pedantic about it, almost nothing is truly "watertight" because just about anything that goes deep enough will crumble under the pressure. For our purposes, however, a device claiming to be waterproof must be IPX7 (rated for immersion in less than one meter) or IPX8 (rated for more than one meter, with standards varying by manufacturer).
Because it's a more specific claim than "water resistant", "waterproof" almost always means you can safely submerge the phone in water. In general, though, you shouldn't go overboard or keep it in water for more than half an hour. As above, if something claims to be waterproof and doesn't provide an IP rating, you should be skeptical.
If you see something marketed as military grade, that's probably marketing language for "heavier than average." There is no universal standard, and as far as you know, the army they use as a benchmark could be the non-existent army of Vatican City. A better standard in this case might be Popemobile grade.
Military grades do exist – they will have numbers like MIL-STD-810, which are actual standards developed by the US Department of Defense. However, unlike the IP standard, there is no testing or certification body that verifies the test methods, which means that even if a company says something has passed the MIL- STD-810 (one meter, with the device heated above water temperature to ensure that the pressure change inside the device does not suck water inside ), it may not meet Department of Defense standards. If something is called "anything military", check to see if it's backed up by a third party.
Unless a device specifically states that it can withstand active immersion, you probably shouldn't take it swimming. Regardless of your phone's IP rating, it's just not a good idea to regularly expose it to a lot of water. Please remember that water resistance is tested using fresh water, not chlorinated pool water, salty sea water, sugary sodas and other liquids we meet in real life. Exposure to harsh types of water can degrade the seals that hold many water resistant phones.
Also keep in mind that most of these phones are only rated for around 1 meter of pressure. Beyond that, you risk having leaks. If you have a nice water resistant phone with an IP68 rating, that's great, but it was probably an expensive phone, so treat the resistance like an insurance policy, not a pass to life for the water park.
Image credit:So yes it is waterproof, EC4U
