An Android app claims it can test your smartphone's water resistance

The Water Resistance Tester allegedly can test the water-resistance seals without having to dunk the device in water.

UI of Water Resistance Tester (Screenshot from Google Play Store)

App uses the phone's barometric sensor to test IP seals

The app basically tests the integrity of your Android phone’s IP67/IP68 rating by accessing its built-in barometer. According to the developer Ray Wang, he designed the Water Resistance Tester to help people check the state of their devices' waterproof sealing after a repair or as it reduces as time passes by.

Wang used data from the barometric pressure sensor that's now built into most premium phones as an aid to vertical location determination. The minute differences in that pressure can help in finding out whether the ingress protection seals built into a phone with an IP rating are still intact.

Upon use, the app requires the user to leave the phone alone for a short while. After that, it instructs to press firmly down on two points of the screen. By measuring pressure differences, it says it can tell if the seals are still reliable.

Apparently, the Water Resistance Tester can adapt to physical changes like popping out our SIM card tray. It would fail the device even the app has given it a passing score before that change.

Based on some reports from Reddit users and Play store reviewers, the app seems to be doing its job. Some of the sources already tested some Android devices like the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra and TCL 20 Pro 5G.

They said that Note 20 Ultra passed since it features an IP68 rating but the TCL device got a failing grade without an IP rating at all.

Some users said that this is the first-ever waterproof test app on Google Play Store. However, the existing ones are allegedly created for older devices with a different waterproofing design from the recent phones today.

Because of being outdated, those other waterproof apps may not work accurately now.

You can download the Water Resistance Tester for FREE on Google Play Store

What do you think?

Via: Android Police, The Verge