The newest Samsung Galaxy S7 series might look very similar to the company’s flagship phones released last year, and that’s because the latest models have received more attention in regards to internal specifications and features, rather than design. For instance, the new models are IP68-certified which makes them dust and waterproof; a step up from the Galaxy S5’s water resistant IP67 rating, and miles ahead of the non-water resistant Galaxy S6. The question is, how does the Samsung Galaxy S7, specifically the Galaxy S7 Edge, handle water in the real world? The answer comes from a new stress test video which pits the aforementioned device against the iPhone 6S.
Granted, much like all the other models released throughout these past several years, Apple’s iPhone 6S is not waterproof or water resistant, and therefore doesn’t carry an IP certification. With that being said, the point of this comparison between the iPhone 6S and the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge is not to show which smartphone is more resilient to water (spoiler alert, it’s the Galaxy S7 Edge) but rather to see what difference an IP68 rating makes. Surprisingly enough, although the iPhone 6S is not technically waterproof, the stress test video shows that the device is not as prone to water damage as one might think. The phone seems to work perfectly after being submerged for several minutes, but as expected, it’s only a matter of time (roughly 10 minutes in this particular test) and physics before water starts creeping through ports and unsealed areas, damaging the screen and eventually shutting down the phone altogether.
On the other hand, the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge performed as expected. No water damage whatsoever after about 15 minutes of testing, and perhaps even more surprising is the fact that the screen is functional even when submerged. Theoretically, this would allow users to utilize the phone while underwater, but taking accurate shots underwater would require some white balance tweaking. One thing to keep in mind, however is that the Galaxy S7 Edge might lose some of its waterproof capabilities if it’s not handled properly. A previous torture test of the device has shown that applying enough force in bending the smartphone to a certain point can create a small gap between the back panel and the frame itself, breaking the seal and theoretically allowing water to enter the device. However, since the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge was created as a waterproof device from the inside out, this might not be a huge issue after all.