A patent application granted by the US Patent and Trademark Office shows how future iPhones could be even more waterproof.
The first waterproof iPhone with an IP67 rating was the seventh generation of the popular Apple smartphone. It was officially protected against splashes, water and dust and, according to Apple, could survive in water for up to 30 minutes at a maximum depth of one meter. The protection did not change with the introduction of the iPhone X and the iPhone 8. It was only with the current iPhone generation that Apple increased its resistance to such environmental influences. Accordingly, the iPhone Xs series is classified under IP68. According to Apple's data sheet, these are now protected against splashes, water and dust as well as other liquids and can survive in water for up to 30 minutes at a depth of over two meters - the protection of the iPhone Xr was not upgraded.
Smart Connector similar connector
But how can an iPhone be permanently waterproof? In the new patent, Apple describes a completely new connector - but it is very reminiscent of the Smart Connector on the iPad Pro. The image shows three round contacts on the device's casing. According to the patent, the new interface is intended to completely replace the Lightning port - charging the iPhone and transferring data should be possible. The exact functionality of the interface is not discussed, however. The connector is made waterproof by a special plastic - this surrounds the contacts and can regenerate itself. A permanently waterproof iPhone would be an absolute dream for many users. Nevertheless, patents should always be treated with caution. It is not uncommon for many such ideas to never make it into finished products.
