Android: this application tests the waterproofness of your smartphone

An Android application called Water Resistance Tester allows you to safely test the waterproofness of a smartphone. To check that a phone is indeed water resistant, the app relies on the barometer. Thanks to this sensor, the developer ensures that he can check the integrity of the gaskets that protect the device against liquids.

Water Resistance Tester, a free app available on the Google Play Store, has been designed to test the waterproofness of an Android smartphone in just a few minutes. “This app will help you test whether IP67 / IP68 seals of your phone are still intact using the built-in barometer ” explains the developer on the Play Store page dedicated to the app.

The developer explains how to use the barometer, a pressure sensor found on most high-end smartphones on the market, to determine if the protective seals, supposed to prevent water from entering the structure, are in good condition. Concretely, the application is based on the pressure exerted on the smartphone. Changes in pressure can indicate that a seal is failing.

Read also: IP68 or not, your smartphone is not waterproof warns iFixit

How to test the waterproofness of an Android smartphone with the Water Resistance Tester app?

The operation of the application is very simple. After installing it on your phone, just follow the on-screen instructions. The leak test only takes a few moments. Here’s how to run a water resistance test:

• Open the app
• Press firmly with both thumbs on the locations indicated on the screen
• Once the process has started, do not touch your smartphone
• The result then appears on the screen

As can be seen in the comments on the Play Store or on Reddit, the Water Resistance Tester app is performing well. Phones certified to IP68 pass the test without any problem, while devices without an IP certificate are declared to be non-waterproof.

Note that similar apps have already appeared on the Play Store. Nonetheless, these older apps seem to rely on gaskets found on older generation phones. De facto, they are not able to reliably test a recent phone.