Water-resistant personal electronics

Especially for those who spend a lot of time on the water, the danger of losing your phone or mobile device to the deep is very real. Waterproof bags and cases have been developed in recent years, but what’s on the horizon is more than that: waterproofing the electronics themselves. To an extent, this trend has already begun, but it seems as though we will be seeing more and more devices that come with the casing necessary to keep it safe from splashes, sprays and even full-on dunkings. Sony recently introduced the Xperia Z, which can survive falling into a full bathtub, according to the company. While the device isn’t completely waterproof, it is supposed to be able to withstand three feet of water for up to 30 minutes as long as the device’s port covers are sealed. Sony isn’t the only manufacturer to join this wave, though. Chinese company Huawei has the Ascend D2 smartphone, Kyocera introduced the Hydro smartphone last summer, Motorola has several water-resistant options in the RAZR line and more companies have products in development. Until waterproofing is standard, though, accessories are still a must. In addition to the popular OtterBox and Lifeproof cases, new products such as Liquipel have been introduced. Liquipel is a liquid-repellent coating that encases electronics and helps save them from water damage. The downside is, it means parting with your phone and sending it in to the company for application. Other liquid-repellent applications are coming from companies such as HzO and P2i, but these companies work with manufacturers to apply the waterproofing before the product reaches consumers. While we have yet to see a major player like Samsung or Apple produce a waterproof device, chances are they’ll catch up with this fast-growing trend sooner rather than later.