iPhone 7 was the first Apple device to offer IP protection. Since then, Apple has offered IP/water/dust resistance on all new iPhone models. We have heard numerous incidents of how iPhones survived weeks and sometimes months in harsh conditions like lakebed and snow ridden mountains. CNET has put iPhone 12 through its paces when it comes to water resistance.

The iPhone 12 comes with an IP68 rating. In other words, it is capable of handling occasional splashes and spills. However, the folks at CNET tested the iPhone 12 to its extreme by using it on a lakebed. Devices with an IP68 rating can stay submerged in water up to depths of 6 meters for 30 minutes. The same extends to iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max, iPhone 12, and iPhone 12 mini. As part of the test, iPhone 12 was taken for a ride in Lake Tahoe’s freshwater with the help of an underwater drone.

The iPhone 12 was mounted on a water drone capable of going as deep as 984 feet. Furthermore, the underwater camera displays the depth, and water temperature as the iPhone 12 descends deeper. The folks at CNET have divided the test into multiple parts.

The first part is to understand whether iPhone 12 can withstand the IP68 claim, i.e., 6 meters of water for 30 minutes. As part of the drill, iPhone 12 was submerged for 30 minutes in 6 meters of water. All the while, the camera pointed towards the display so that we could see if anything abnormal happened on the iPhone.

After 30 minutes, the iPhone 12 was fished out and cleaned with a dry cloth. Everything, including the touchscreen, volume rocker, the camera, worked perfectly fine.

Next up, the testing team took the iPhone 12 further deeper. The device was submerged to 65 feet, nearly three times that of the IP68 rating. Meanwhile, the water temperature was 10 degrees Celcius. After 40 minutes, the drone was recalled and was checked. Voila! Everything worked just fine. However, the sound was muffled but still audible to a certain extent.

Finally, the last test involved testing iPhone 12 for long-term damages, that is, if any. While the phone was dry, the front and back camera had fogged. Later on, the device also popped up a diagnostic error while being charged. Earlier this week, French authorities slapped a heavy fine on Apple for misleading water-resistance claims. A word of caution, Apple’s standard warranty doesn’t cover water damage, and thus it’s not wise to submerge your phone in water. Check out our article to know what water resistance rating on iPhones means.