OnePlus has confirmed through a video that their new phones will be water-resistant but will not have an IP rating. The video was uploaded yesterday and shows a phone being dropped into a bucket of water. OnePlus co-founder, Carl Pei has attributed this decision to a cost-saving measure and justified the company's current standing on IP ratings by stating that the increased costs in certification would get translated to an increase in the price consumers would pay for the phone.
The video also had fine print stating that water/liquid damage would not be covered under warranty for the phone. Notably, most phone manufacturers don't cover liquid damage under the normal warranty, often requiring customers to purchase additional warranties.
"We know that an IP rating would be the simplest way to prove our phone's capability," said Pei in his statement. He added that the video was to show people "what our water-resistant quality can actually bring to you in your real life in a more powerful way."
Ingress Protection (IP) Rating determines the protection level of electrical circuitry from foreign elements such as dust and water. Dust resistance is graded from 1 to 6 and water-resistance is graded from 1 to 9. IP68 rated phones like Google Pixel 3 and Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus contain a vacuum to prevent dust from entering and can be immersed in over 1 meter of water for a few minutes.
The video has sparked debate in online forums, where some are of the opinion that IP ratings are important as they are proven by an impartial system instead of the company itself. Others are saying that not hiking the price will be more beneficial for consumers than having to pay extra for water damage coverage. As has been the case with OnePlus, their phones have lacked IP ratings but have been dust and water-resistant.
Pei has clarified that the video is not meant to spark a challenge - "We certainly don't want all of you to try to drop your OnePlus 7 Pro in a bucket. And just like other smartphone brands that do IP classify their devices, our warranty does not cover water damage." He also added that this decision does not rule out the possibility of IP ratings in future devices.
OnePlus 7 series will be unveiled at an event on May 14, putting an end to all the speculations and doubts about the new phones. Stay tuned for updates.
