Some smartphones today have IP ratings that are waterproof and dustproof, but we don’t dare to submerge expensive smartphones in water to test the same. That’s why Android developers have created a free app that allows users to test whether IP-rated smartphones are still water resistant.
Water resistant tester (app)
Called a water resistance tester, this app was created by a developer named Raymond Wang and uses a smartphone barometric pressure sensor to test water resistance. Basically, it measures the slight difference in physical pressure to determine if the water resistant seal on your smartphone is damaged.
For those who don’t know, most modern premium smartphones are IP68 or at least IP67 waterproof and dustproof. However, time and usage can compromise the water resistant seal that keeps water out of the device.
Therefore, we don’t dare to submerge an Android smartphone in water to test if the seal is damaged, so RayW has created a water resistant tester app to do that more safely.
How does the water resistant app work?
When you open the app, the user will be prompted to keep the device idle for a while. The user then needs to place both thumbs on the two marked points on the screen and press firmly down.
Following this, the app measures minute pressure differences with varying precision to test if the waterproof seal is intact.
However, if you’re skeptical of the test results, you can also see if the app gives negative results when you remove the SIM card from the dedicated tray. If so, you can make sure this Android app is working properly on your device.
Therefore, if you have an IP rated Android smartphone that you have been using for a long time, go ahead and use the Water Resistant Tester app to see if the seal is still damaged. The app can be downloaded for free from the Google Play store and has a fairly good rating of 4.5 stars with over 1,000 downloads. Unfortunately, this app is not available on iOS devices.
Water resistant tester download (free)
