IP68 Decoded
"IP68" is treated as one guarantee, but under IEC 60529 the second digit's "8" only means deeper than 1 meter, for a depth and duration the manufacturer itself declares — there is no fixed number in the standard. An iPhone 15's IP68 is tested to 6 meters for 30 minutes. A Samsung Galaxy S24's IP68 is tested to 1.5 meters for 30 minutes. Same two characters, a 4x difference in declared depth. We aggregate the actual per-product numbers so you can compare them directly, instead of trusting the badge.
Multiple sources explain the IP68-is-not-one-number problem in prose. None of them put the actual declared depth and duration for real products side by side — that comparison is the reason this site exists. Start with the IP Rating Reality Index, our named dataset of manufacturer-declared depth, duration, test medium, and warranty coverage for popular waterproof electronics.
IP Rating Reality Index
The named dataset: per-product declared depth, duration, test medium, and warranty coverage — versioned CSV.
12 products tracked →
IP Code Decoder
Every IEC 60529 first digit (solids) and second digit (liquids), what each level actually requires, and what X means in IPX4.
17 code definitions →
Shop by category
Waterproof Bluetooth Speakers
IP67 vs IP68, and why 'floats' isn't the same claim as 'submersible.'
4 picks →
Waterproof Action Cameras
Most action-cam waterproof claims aren't IEC 60529 IP-tested at all — here's the difference.
3 picks →
Waterproof Earbuds
IPX4 splash resistance vs full IP68 — and why the charging case is usually the weak link.
3 picks →
The claims worth decoding first
How we work
We're a research-based site: every fact traces to a manufacturer spec sheet, an IEC 60529 standard summary, or a named public source — never a claim we invented. We don't test devices ourselves, we never publish exact prices, and we name honest drawbacks. Read our full methodology →