The Apple Watch has been put through its paces on more than one occasion since its release last month and all of the tests have indicated that the device is far more waterproof than Apple claims. Now, triathlete Ray Maker has put Apple Watch through a trio of intensive tests that further prove the device’s ability to withstand exposure to water.
First off, Maker conducted a 1,200 meter swim during which he wore an Apple Watch Sport. In his post recapping the tests, Maker noted that the Watch withstood the swim without any hiccups, but pointed out that the device doesn’t have any built-in options for tracking swimming like it does for other physical tasks. The wrist detection feature of Apple Watch also didn’t work very well while underwater, which in turn led to inaccurate heart rate measurements, Maker claimed.
Following the swim, Maker decided to wear his Apple Watch while diving into a pool. Maker and his assistant wore Apple Watch while they jumped off of a 5m platform, 8m platform, and 10m platform. Apple’s wearable was able to withstand all three of these dives with no harmful consequences, as Maker notes in the video below.
Finally, Maker placed his Apple Watch in a waterproofing chamber. The Watch features an IPX7 water-resistance rating, which means it can withstand 1 meter of submersion for 30 minutes. Maker defied that rating and sent Apple Watch through automated test cycles in the water chamber at 40 meters deep. The trend continued with this test as Apple Watch emerged from the chamber without any issues whatsoever.
Whether or not any longterm problems surface from excessive exposure to water remains to be seen, but for now, it appears that Apple Watch is far more waterproof than Apple leads on. Warranty concerns remain, however, for those who expose their Watch to intense conditions.
