How to waterproof an iPhone or Android device
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Aside from dropping a smartphone, nothing kills them faster than water. A quick spritz of rain or a dunk in the bath or toilet can lighten your bank account by several hundred dollars in a hurry.
But did you know that you can waterproof your device without having to keep it inside a huge, cumbersome case?
In fact, there are a couple of ways you can do this.
The first is to take the DIY approach using a kit such as the one by Impervious. This is a liquid spray that can either be applied to the exterior of the phone, or you can take the phone apart and spray everything on the inside.
A full waterproofing kit costs around $50.
Be warned though, taking a phone apart to do this is not for the feint of heart, as the video below of waterproofing an iPhone will show. You could very well destroy your handset in the process of trying to waterproof it!
Alternatively, if you don't feel like doing the job yourself, you can send your device to a company such as Liquipel to be waterproofed. Here the device is put into a vacuum chamber, the air is sucked out and the coating applied as a gas, infiltrating the device inside and out.
The Liquipel treatment costs between $70 and $90. Plus you have to ship your device to the company for treatment.
It's worth bearing in mind that these coatings aren't a 100 percent guarantee. They're there to help give you a chance if you get it wet, not to allow you to deliberately expose your device to water. They're certainly not going to protect your handset from prolonged immersion.
Also, be aware that any internal coating will void any warranty your manufacturer will offer.
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