The OnePlus 6 is significantly more water-resistant than its predecessor any may have even been eligible for an Ingress Protection rating if the Chinese phone maker opted to certify it, as revealed by a new teardown performed by Zack Nelson, better known by his YouTube handle JerryRigEverything. The video that can be seen below sees the recently released Android phablet completely taken apart and shows a number of measures OnePlus took as part of its efforts to make its new product more resistant to the elements. While the device’s ability to survive water submersion is questionable at best, rain and other cases and relatively minimal water exposure shouldn’t damage it in any way.
The dual-SIM tray that’s part of the device has a rubber layer on the side closer to the edge of the device, though the protection is relatively minimal and stronger water splashes from that angle may be able to reach the SIM cards, the teardown suggests. A similar rubber band encircles the end of the USB Type-C connector on the bottom. The microphone hole near the top of the device is protected by a water-resistant mesh that should be able of preventing any liquids from getting inside the device through that opening, so long as the OnePlus 6 isn’t actually submerged. The same applies to the earpiece of the Android flagship which isn’t directly exposed to the outside, though the structure of the mesh should still allow for clean sound during phone calls.
The bottom-facing speaker is protected by two mesh layers and is one of the best-protected parts of the OnePlus 6 in terms of water resistance, the teardown suggests. The smartphone has several water damage indicators positioned throughout its insides which come in the form of white labels that turn red the moment they come into contact with any conventional liquid. As was the case with previous products from the Shenzhen-based company and any other smartphone on the market, IP-rated or not, the warranty attached to the OnePlus 6 doesn’t cover water damage of any sort.