Google’s upcoming Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones may not be completely waterproof. According to a report by Android Police, the two smartphones may have an IP53 certification. This means that the phones will only be able to withstand water being sprayed from certain angles. So, while the phones may be able to survive rain, they may not survive a dive in the pool or water falling on them directly. This may disappoint a few users as even Apple now offers water resistant smartphones.
The digit ‘3’ in the IP53 certifications means that the phones will be able to withstand water being sprayed at any angle up to 60-degrees from vertical. Hence the phones should shrug off water falling from an upward angle, like during rains. However, water can still enter from the bottom. For water resistance certification, a device needs to be at least IPX5 certified. An IPX7 certification or above means that the device can be fully immersed in water. The digit ‘5’ in the IP53 certification means that a phone will offer dust resistance, although a little dust might still go though. An IP6X rating would mean that the device is completely dust resistant. It should be noted that the Apple and Samsung’s current flagships are IP67 and IP68 certified respectively. This means that not only are they dust-proof, but can also withstand being submerged in water.
Google will most likely launch the new devices on October 4. It has even teased the phones by placing a statue in Brooklyn. The statue only shows the candybar shape frame of the phone along with the date and the hashtag. #MadeByGoogle.