Apple’s rigorous water resistance tests for iPhones recorded live

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The best Android flagships and iPhones boast an IP68 rating, ensuring the best protection against dust and water. These devices undergo rigorous testing to validate the ratings before heading to the market. Companies sometimes share videos to show how these tests are done. Well-known YouTuber Marques Brownlee, aka MKBHD, recently visited an Apple lab to give us an insider look at the iPhone’s durability testing processes.

YouTuber shows how Apple tests iPhones for water resistance and durability

In a series of videos posted on X, Marques Brownlee took us through various automated processes that Apple uses to test the IP rating and durability of its iPhones. Since each digit in an IP rating implies a certain level of protection (the first digit indicates the level of protection against dust and the latter against water), the company has systems in place to test devices for all IP ratings, at least for protection against water.

A Level 1, which tests an IPX4 rating for water resistance, Apple uses a drip tray to simulate rain and places the iPhone under it. There is no real pressure in the water. The Level 2 (IPX5) tests subject the device to low-pressure water jets from various angles. The device then finds itself facing a high-pressure spray of water from a firehose. If it survives this test without breaking or letting water in, it is good to get an IPX6 rating.

The Level 4 test involves locking the iPhone underwater and applying pressure artificially to simulate depth for an extended time. After this test, the device is awarded an IPX8 rating for water resistance. Brownlee didn’t show us any tests for dust resistance, i.e., the first digit in an IP rating. Apple probably uses various apparatus to test each level of protection against dust. Companies also need to verify the ratings from third-party testing agencies.

Apple also performs drop tests

When a new phone comes out, we see many YouTubers perform drop tests to determine its strength and durability. It turns out Apple does that before releasing the iPhone. The company uses robotic arms to drop it numerous times from different angles. It records each drop in slow motion, likely to check how each impact affects the phone’s frame and other components so it could work on improving its overall durability.

Apple also simulates various types of shaking in its labs. The iPhone is placed on a surface that shakes at different frequencies to simulate the shaking of a motorcycle, subway car, and more. This determines how well the device holds up to sustained exposure to that frequency. And it’s not 1, 2, or even 100 different units that go through these tests. The company tests more than 10,000 units of each device before it starts shipping it.

Apple is softening its stance on the repairability of iPhones

Brownlee’s visit to Apple’s labs also gave us an insight into the company’s stance on the reparability of iPhones. As any repair technician would tell you, iPhones are one of the hardest devices to repair. This is because of Apple’s design philosophy. The firm aims to create products that don’t fail. As such, each component inside the device is secured strongly. However, in the event of a failure, this makes it difficult to remove and replace.

Apple still believes a product that fails rarely is better for consumers and the environment than a product that is easy to repair but not as reliable. Fewer repairs mean less hassle for consumers and less material usage and waste, opined John Ternus, Apple’s Head of Hardware Engineering. That said, the company is softening its stance and plans to offer better repairability support for iPhones in the years to come.

2024-05-31 15:09:06