Patent awarded to Apple last week suggests that a waterproof iPhone is in the works،
Although the iPhone is considered water-resistant and meets certain standards that allow Apple to give its phones an IP68 rating, the device is not waterproof. Hell, Apple doesn't even believe its phones can resist water on a consistent basis. How do we know? Just look at the iPhone's limited warranty. Nowhere in the warranty does Apple explain how it covers water damage. It's not just Apple. Not all phone manufacturers cover water damage in warranty, even if a device has an IP68 or IP 67 rating.
Apple claims the
iPhone 15 series is waterproof up to 6 meters (nearly 20 feet) for 30 minutes. This is actually above IP68 standards, but that doesn't mean you can take the phone into the bath or shower, as water from the jets can overcome water resistance. And your iPhone will have a harder time surviving contact with water if it doesn't “swim” in fresh water. In other words, don't take your iPhone diving with you unless it's in a case designed specifically for that purpose. Type of activity.
Remember, if Apple thought the iPhone could survive every encounter with water, it would include water damage in the warranty.
The patent illustration shows how, on an underwater iPhone, the camera can zoom using the volume button.
But
a patent that Apple obtained last week could indicate that the company is working on a waterproof version of the iPhone. The patent is called “Underwater User Interface” and is more about adjusting iOS when an iPhone is underwater so that it is easier to use. Apple notes in the patent that iOS can be “cumbersome and inefficient” underwater. For example, an illustration included in the patent shows that an iPhone user would initiate camera zoom by pressing the volume button instead of using multi-touch to pinch and zoom on the screen.
This is exciting because if Apple is working on a special user interface for iOS that makes it easier to use underwater, it's logical to believe that the company is also working on waterproof hardware. If Apple makes a waterproof iPhone, let's hope they finally add water damage coverage to the limited warranty. It's unclear when a waterproof iPhone might become a reality, but the first manufacturer to make this happen will have an interesting feature to offer consumers.
The patent was issued by the
United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and assigned the United States patent number US 11,875,021.
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