“The most common question I get about my Apple Watch is this: ‘Is it waterproof?'” Craig Hockenberry blogs for furbo.org. “Everyone from followers on Twitter to Laguna Beach lifeguards have noticed that I wear my watch while swimming and want to know how this new device holds up when it comes in contact with 71% of the Earth’s surface.”
“Swimming is my favorite way to work out, so I knew I’d want to use the watch in the water. But there wasn’t much information available other than Tim Cook saying he wore his in the shower,” Hockenberry writes. “Luckily, as the watch got closer to shipment, a key piece of information was published in the user guide: ‘Submerging Apple Watch is not recommended. Apple Watch has a water resistance rating of IPX7 under IEC standard 60529. The leather bands are not water resistant. Water resistance is not a permanent condition and Apple Watch cannot be rechecked or resealed for water resistance.'”
“A little bit of research shows that “IPX7 under IEC standard 60529″ means the watch can be submerged in 1 meter (3.3 feet) of water for up to 30 minutes. That’s certainly more than a shower and perfect for the kind of swimming I do,” Hockenberry writes. “After the watch shipped, I discovered that I wasn’t the only person interested in the watch’s ability to be used during swim workouts. Ray Maker at the DC Rainmaker blog did a series of tests, including diving off a 10 meter (33 foot) platform and 40 meter (130 foot) pressure test. The Apple Watch passed these tests with flying colors, and along with the research below, I was convinced I wouldn’t have any problems. So far, that analysis has proven correct.”
“I suspect that the watch’s water resistance has been undersold by Apple just like battery life: it’s better to under-promise and over-deliver,” Hockenberry writes. “The following research is focused on the Apple Watch Sport. The other models use different materials for both the case and display face. I suspect most people who are interested in using their watch in water will own the Sport model.”
Tons more testing, data, photos, and video in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: We’ve been taking our Apple Watches off, just to be safe, when showering. After reading this, no more!
We look forward to the added boost that Apple Watch-clad showers will deliver to our Activity apps!