Vratislav Holub Water resistance in electronics is practically a matter of course today. In the case of Apple products, we can encounter it with iPhones, Apple Watch and AirPods. In addition, the level of resistance increases quite decently. For example, the brand new Apple Watch Ultra, which can even be used for diving to a depth of up to 40 meters, is definitely worth mentioning. Unfortunately, none of the products are directly waterproof and it is always necessary to take into account some limits and the fact that the resistance to water is not permanent and gradually deteriorates. After all, this is why water damage is not covered by the warranty.
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The weakest link is the AirPods. They meet the IPX4 certification and can therefore cope with sweat and water during non-water sports. On the contrary, for example, the iPhone 14 (Pro) boasts an IP68 degree of protection (it can withstand immersion to a depth of up to 6 meters for 30 minutes), the Apple Watch Series 8 and SE can even be used for swimming, and the top Ultra for the aforementioned diving. But let's stay with the headphones. There are already directly waterproof models available that allow you to listen to music even while swimming, which makes them an extremely interesting product. This raises a rather interesting question – will we ever see fully waterproof AirPods?
AirPods waterproof headphones
As we mentioned above, so-called waterproof headphones are already available on the market, which are not afraid of water, on the contrary. Thanks to them, you can enjoy listening to music even while swimming, without the slightest difficulty. A great example is the H2O Audio TRI Multi-Sport model. This is directly intended for the needs of athletes and, as the manufacturer himself states, it can withstand immersion to a depth of up to 3,6 meters for an unlimited time. Although at first glance this is a perfect option, it is necessary to draw attention to one rather important limitation. Below the surface, the Bluetooth signal is poorly transmitted, which significantly complicates the entire transmission. For this reason, the aforementioned headphones from H2O Audio have 8GB of memory for storing songs. In practice, these are headphones with an MP3 player at the same time.
Something similar makes sense especially for lovers of water sports and swimming. We could definitely include here, for example, triathletes who can complete the entire discipline while listening to their favorite music. That is why the question arises whether we can expect something similar from AirPods. In the new watchOS 9 operating system (for the Apple Watch), Apple has added a rather essential function where the watch can automatically switch modes between swimming, cycling and running while monitoring activity. So it is immediately clear who the giant is targeting.
AirPods Pro 2
Unfortunately, we probably won't get fully waterproof headphones from Apple. It is necessary to be aware of relatively fundamental differences. Although fully waterproof headphones are already sold, they are intended for a relatively specific and small target group of people who are interested in listening to music even while swimming. On the contrary, the giant from Cupertino intends a little differently – with its AirPods, it targets practically all Apple users, who can also choose between the basic and Pro variants. Alternatively, Max headphones are also available. On the other hand, adding waterproofing to AirPods would noticeably change their appearance and functionality, which Apple has built up to now. Considering these factors, it is therefore rather obvious that we will definitely not see Apple headphones capable of functioning even while swimming in the near future.
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Adam Kos 