Why we love waterproof phones

Whether you take a dip in the pool with your phone in your trunks or drop your mobile down the loo, water damage is annoying. It’s the 2nd most common reason phones get wrecked, after broken or cracked screens.

But what can you do about it? First, make sure you take out Three Insurance when you buy your new phone with us. You can choose Full Cover, which protects you against loss and theft; as well as all kinds of damage, including water. Or you can go for Damage Cover alone. If you bought a device with insurance between 7 August 2017 and 6 March 2020, you’ll have a Three Rescue policy, which also has you covered.

Insurance is an absolute must when we have expensive devices that we use day in, day out. But prevention is better than cure. That’s where the latest, water-resistant phones come in.

Today’s phones are generally water-resistant, with an IP rating of 67 or 68. IP stands for ‘Ingress Protection’ and IP ratings are used to define resistance to things like dust, dirt, and moisture. The 1st number tells you how resistant an object is to solids, while the 2nd number relates to its resistance to liquids.

IP68 is the highest rating you can get when it comes to protecting your phone from foreign objects. A rating of 6 means the object is dust-tight, while the 8 for liquid is measured from 0-8. So, the phone has maximum protection against water for 30 minutes, at a depth of up to 1.5 metres.

They’re officially known as water-resistant devices, but some of them are so good they’re called ‘waterproof’. Years ago, dropping your phone down the loo would’ve been a nightmare. Especially if you don’t have mobile insurance. But now, it doesn’t have to be a disaster. Here are some of the best waterproof mobile phones around.

Sony waterproof phones are worth considering and the Xperia XZ Premium has an IP68 rating, making it dust-proof and water-resistant. Plus, it’s reinforced with durable Corning® Gorilla® Glass 5, so it can pretty much take whatever you throw at it.

When it comes to waterproof Android phones, the Samsung Galaxy range have you covered. The Samsung Galaxy S7, S8, S9, S10 ranges, the Note 8, Note 9, and the latest S20 range, are water-resistant with an IP68 rating.

iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus have a rating of IP67. This means they’re water-resistant up to 1 metre. iPhone XR and latest iPhone 11 range have a rating of IP68, and can be in 2 metres of water for 30 minutes. If you don’t fancy testing it, this video shows you how water-resistant the iPhone 8 Plus is:

Whether you want to take a chance with your phone or not, you might want to check out these waterproof phone accessories.