Smartphones have evolved considerably over the past 10 years, but one area that has remained relatively static is durability. The Galaxy S7, released in early 2016, was the first mainstream flagship phone to feature an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance, and it wasn’t until almost nine years later that this evolved to an IP69 rating with the OnePlus 13 (among other OnePlus and Oppo phones).
In the same period, the smartphone form factor itself has warped into something totally new. We now have flip phones and book-style folding phones, but one of the biggest issues preventing their widespread adoption is durability. Despite many of these devices being tested for hundreds of thousands of folds, consumers remain understandably concerned about durability in the elements.
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IP68 vs IP69?
You’ve probably heard the term IP68 before, but what’s the meaning of the acronym, and how does IP69 differ from IP68?
IP68 means an Ingress Protection rating of 6 (the maximum available for dust resistance) and 8 (for water resistance). IP ratings range from 1 to 6 for dust resistance and from 1 to 9 for water resistance, and phones can have either rating or both. It was common for early folding phones to be rated only IPX6 or IPX8, meaning some water resistance but no dust protection.
The key difference between IP68 and IP69 is the type of water resistance they offer. The former is designed for submersion (usually between 1 and 3 meters for 30 minutes or longer), making it perfect for general waterproofing and protection against most everyday scenarios. IP69 steps this up considerably by offering protection against high-pressure, high-temperature jets, including those from dishwashers, washing machines, and steam cleaners. Industrial sanitation and other heavy-duty environments.
In short, IP68 protects against scenarios such as your phone falling in a puddle or you being caught in a torrential thunderstorm. Meanwhile, IP69 protects your phone from more extreme environments, the most common being accidentally dropping it in a dishwasher or washing machine without realizing it.
What happened when I ‘accidentally’ put a folding phone through a washing machine?
I wanted to simulate a possible scenario where you accidentally left a phone in a pocket while putting some clothes in a washing machine. To do so, I put the Honor Magic V6 in the pocket of a hoodie and ran it through a quick wash cycle at 40 degrees Celsius, or approximately 104 degrees Fahrenheit.
It was only the hoodie and the phone in the washing machine, and I chose this approach to limit the damage the phone might sustain from the metal drum. It turns out that this mitigation lasted for about 30 seconds, because as soon as the drum started spinning, I could hear the clunk of the Magic V6 against the drum. This made the results even more surprising!
45 minutes and a 1,400 RPM spin cycle later, what happened? The Honor Magic V6 survived, albeit a little worse for wear!
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Taking it out of the washing machine with considerable trepidation, I was surprised to see that the phone worked absolutely fine. The front screen works and looks no different, but given that this is a folding phone, the real test was the main internal screen. Here’s where it got more interesting.
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First, there was a slight crackling sound when unfolding the Magic V6, but the display itself remained perfectly fine. The only thing that’s changed is that there are now some artifacts on the main screen, reminiscent of smartphone water damage a few years ago. But considering that most folding phones use a flexible, plastic-based polymer or an ultra-thin Glass with a plastic layer for the main screen, these artifacts shouldn’t come as a surprise.
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Crucially, all the phone’s features still work. The fingerprint sensor and facial recognition work, even when using the cameras above the main screen. The cameras work absolutely fine, but there are several skirmishes and blemishes around the edges of the camera island. Talking of blemishes and skirmishes, the edges and corners of the phone also have many scratches, where it’s clear it was hitting the metal drum.
The results are conclusive, with three key takeaways!
I’m quite surprised that the Honor Magic V6 survived as well as it did. It’s clear that IP69 dust and water resistance is the new baseline for every phone manufacturer to follow, especially as it protects against the most extreme scenarios that IP68 doesn’t.
I remember breaking a phone over ten years ago by accidentally putting it in the washing machine, but it wasn’t a folding phone like the Magic V6, and now we know for certain that the Magic V6 can survive an accidental trip through the washing machine if the worst should happen.
That said, there are a few key takeaways that are worth noting. First, do not do this intentionally. I’m using a review sample that Honor provided to me last month, and I conducted this test knowing that, whatever happened, the company would ultimately replace this unit. They haven’t seen the contents of this article, but if this were a phone I’d purchased, I would be quite upset with the overall condition. That’s not Honor’s fault — and the damage would likely be far less to the edges had it been a machine full of clothes — but it’s nonetheless worth keeping in mind.
The second big takeaway is that this test proves folding phones are just as durable as regular phones. Yes, this wasn’t a sandstorm, but a washing machine is a rough environment for any electronics, and the fact that a folding phone still survives despite this treatment is a testament to its durability, Honor’s design, and the longevity of the foldable category as a whole.
The third big takeaway is obvious: IP69 is now the benchmark we should expect from the best foldable phones. Rival devices like the Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold offer IP68 dust and water resistance, but Honor has managed to fit IP69 protection into a body that’s considerably thinner and lighter than the best Google Pixel phones and many of the best Android phones. There’s little excuse for companies not to do the same going forward, in folding phones or otherwise.
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