IP69: A New Standard for Smartphone Water Resistance, But What About After-Sales Service?

IP69: A New Standard for Smartphone Water Resistance, But What About After-Sales Service?Once upon a time, water resistance was an exclusive feature of flagship phones and a few outdoor models, acting as a testament to their superior craftsmanship. From a cost standpoint, only flagship phones with their hefty price tags could afford the extra cost of waterproof design

IP69: A New Standard for Smartphone Water Resistance, But What About After-Sales Service?

Once upon a time, water resistance was an exclusive feature of flagship phones and a few outdoor models, acting as a testament to their superior craftsmanship. From a cost standpoint, only flagship phones with their hefty price tags could afford the extra cost of waterproof design. However, in recent years, with the maturity of waterproofing technology, more and more phone brands have begun incorporating water resistance into mid-range and even entry-level phones. Brands are even surpassing the "traditional" IP67 and IP68 standards when it comes to water resistance levels. For example, OPPO's A3 Pro, released a few months ago, passed the IP69 test; and there are rumors that the upcoming OPPO Find X8 will also meet the same protective standard.

This brings us to a question - we are familiar with IP67 and IP68, but what exactly is IP69?

IP69 Dust and Water Resistance: A Higher Number, Double the Difficulty

While not as commonly used, IP69 is still part of the IP certification system. As we know, the IP rating consists of two digits. The first digit represents the dust resistance level, and the second digit represents the water resistance level. The "6" in the common IP67 and IP68 ratings indicates that the device offers complete dust protection, making it nearly impossible for dust to enter the device. The "7" and "8" respectively denote the device's ability to withstand water immersion at certain depths.

The "9" in IP69 signifies that the device can maintain its waterproof performance in high-pressure water environments and resist water splashes from various angles. Specifically, the IP69 standard mandates that devices must withstand the impact of high-pressure water jets from different directions. During testing, the water pressure reaches 80-100 Bar, with water temperature at ambient temperature. The device must maintain excellent waterproof performance under these conditions. In the OPPOA3 Pro review, I tested the phone's ability to withstand water pressure by securing it to the roof of my car and driving through an automatic car wash.

Unlike IP68, which uses static water pressure, IP69 imposes stricter requirements on the phone's waterproof structure, providing more comprehensive protection against situations where the phone is likely to come into contact with water in daily life. For instance, many users of waterproof phones have the habit of "washing" their phones. They might do this to quickly cool down the phone or to rinse off any spills. However, the impact of a water faucet can sometimes exceed the protection limits of IP68, and areas like the phone's speaker grille and charging port are vulnerable to water ingress during washing. If the phone passes the IP69 test, this concern is eliminated.

IP69K: A More Obscure Standard for Extreme Protection

Although IP69 is considered a "rare" standard, the IP rating system still features a more "obscure" standardIP69K. Simply put, IP69K is an extension of IP69, specifically designed for high-temperature, high-pressure environments. In addition to the protection offered by IP69, IP69K also requires devices to withstand the impact of high-temperature, high-pressure water jets. The IP69K standard dictates that devices must withstand high-temperature water jets at 80 degrees Celsius, sprayed from different angles at a high pressure of 80 to 100 Bar. In contrast, IP69 only requires the water temperature to be below 30 degrees Celsius.

This standard is primarily used for industrial equipment that requires frequent cleaning, such as kitchen appliances and construction machinery. Its purpose is to ensure that devices maintain their protective performance even in extreme cleaning conditions. However, this does not mean IP69K is only found in industrial equipment; I have previously experienced the AGMX6, a rugged smartphone that has passed the IP69K test.

Same Wine in a New Bottle: IP69 Technology Doesn't Offer a Breakthrough

However, with numerous phones on the market already boasting IP68 or higher waterproof ratings, it's safe to say that the industry is making progress. But if we look at smartphone waterproofing technology from a technical perspective, it hasn't undergone any fundamental changes. Smartphone waterproofing relies on two primary methods: physical sealing and waterproof coatings.

Physical sealing involves using rubber rings or silicone gaskets around the phone's ports, seams, and other areas to prevent water from enteringfrequently utilized for components like speakers and charging ports. Waterproof coatings, on the other hand, use nano-coatings to cover the phone's circuit boards and components, forming a waterproof barrier. Even if the phone gets wet, the internal components remain protected. Through these technologies, phones can achieve IP67, IP68, and even IP69 protection levels, allowing them to be used in water for short periods at certain depths.

However, current waterproofing technology struggles to meet user needs in complex daily scenarios. Firstly, while IP69 offers a higher level of protection, it is mainly used in special applications like industrial equipment, and it's not yet widely adopted in phones. Existing IP68 designs can encounter seal failure in the presence of high temperatures, steam, or high-pressure water jets.

Secondly, as the phone ages, the physical seals can become worn or degraded, compromising the waterproof performance. The majority of waterproof phones don't cover water damage in their warranty because phone manufacturers cannot predict these types of wear and tear.

In the era where smartphone waterproofing relied on waterproof seals and plugs, users could check the phone's "airtightness" (a term familiar to Xperia enthusiasts) using the internal barometer to confirm the presence of worn-out seals and, thus, have a basic understanding of the overall waterproof performance. However, in the age of waterproof coatings, users can't assess the state of the waterproof coating without damaging the phone. This leaves the phone in a superposition of "waterproof" and "not waterproof"no one knows whether the phone is still water-resistant until it's too late. It's safe to say consumers wouldn't be happy with a "Schrdinger's phone."

Waterproof Without After-Sales Service is Equivalent to No Waterproof

Discussions on the lack of warranty coverage for water damage in rugged smartphones have been prevalent on Weibo for a long time. Especially after smartphones evolved to the point where they could achieve water resistance without waterproof covers, phone manufacturers generally reached a consensus: they decided to treat water damage as deliberate user error across the board, offering no warranty coverageeven though they aggressively highlight "IP68" and other waterproofing standards in their marketing materials.

I strongly oppose and reject this blanket policy. Ultimately, such an after-sales policy is fundamentally contradictory. On the one hand, phone brands emphasize "differentiation" as a selling point, touting purported "ruggedness" through video demonstrations or images, convincing consumers that "our phones are waterproof." However, when water damage actually occurs, they refuse any warranty coverage without hesitation.

Of course, some manufacturers are more cunning in this regard. They might lower the waterproof and dustproof certification levels to provide a buffer for explanations or use terms like "water-resistant" instead of "waterproof" to mitigate potential legal risks. But promoting IP68 while completely removing water damage from warranty coverage is simply unfair.

I believe if phone manufacturers decide to advertise their products as having IP68 or a certain level of waterproofing, they should establish a feasible after-sales verification process. This process should include pre-disassembly leak tests, post-disassembly water ingress point identification, and damage level assessments to determine the responsible party and whether there are any quality issues with the device.

If the phone is indeed damaged due to improper handling, such as directly rinsing various ports with water or prolonged immersion, leading to water ingress, after-sales service should issue a test report and clearly deny warranty coverage, offering paid repair service. On the other hand, if water damage occurs during normal use, we have reason to suspect design defects or quality issues with the phone. Manufacturers should provide warranty service in line with other quality issues.

Brands can boast about waterproofing technology, employing sophisticated marketing tactics, even replacing "waterproof" with "water-resistant." But when it comes to consumer expectations, waterproofing becomes a "deadlock" for their rights protection. Instead of continuing with their "floating" marketing, perhaps it's time for brands to establish a truly responsible after-sales service system for consumers. After all, consumers are not naive. We understand that compared to "Schrdinger's waterproofing," phone brand credibility is the true foundation for waterproofing.