Is Pixel 3 Waterproof and How Is It Rated?

The giant Android smartphone brand—Google—has its new flagship phones—Pixel 3 and Pixel 3XL unveiled. The Pixel 3 looks no difference to its predecessor Pixel 2 from outside, but it do upgrade a lot inside. It is one of the first flagship phones adopts the Android v9.0 Pie OS, combined with the newest Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chip, Adreno 630 Graphics and Octa-core processor, and it is prone to be great. Even waterproof ability, it has caught up with an IP 68 rating.

Like other big names such as Samsung, Huawei and Apple, if you ask “Is pixel 3 waterproof?”, you will get a definite “yes”, however, how its IP 68 rating means to you when comes to Pixel 3? Does a pure technological term assure you if your phone soaks in water? No, because many of us actually know little about what exactly the rating refers to. Here comes an explanation.

What exactly IP68 means to Pixel 3?

The capital “IP” stands for “Ingress Protection” which means the ability that the devices possessing the rating can be protected from solid and liquid objects entering into it. The first number refers to solid objects resistance and the second number to liquid-resistant capability. In our daily cases, it defaults to dust-proof and water-resistant level. Different numbers represent different ability to withstand dust and water. There is a specified declaration on each definition. 

 (Source quoted from PCMAG, the levels from 0-4 have been omitted)

Based on the laboratory tested data, we can see that at least the Pixel 3 can be submerged into over 1m of water for 30 minutes. So even if your phone accidentally drops into the kitchen sink, pull it out in time, it will still be alive. However, even the Pixel 3’s IP rating ensures that it is waterproof; you still need to handle it carefully. After all it is not a cheap gadget!