iPhone 7 could be waterproof: Apple patent describes speakers that repel water

Curtis Moldrich Read more November 13, 2015

Over the years, iPhones have got better and better, but one weakness has remained: water. From the 3GS to the 6S Plus, every smartphone Apple has made has been vulnerable to water damage.

iPhone 7 could be waterproof: Apple patent describes speakers that repel water

This could be about to change with the iPhone 7. A new patent filed by Apple describes a system that uses electric charges to expel water, keeping your iPhone’s insides dry.

Manufacturers can already waterproof most areas of a phone using rubber seals, but speakers and other orifices present a harder challenge. Apple’s patent, titled “Liquid expulsion from an orifice” offers a novel solution to the problem.

iPhone 7 rumours iPhone waterproof patent

Find a more detailed look at the next iPhone, read Everything we know about the iPhone 7

The patents explains that the system will work by detecting the presence of water, then applying an electric charge over the surface area. The result? The liquid is moved, then expelled from the chamber – and your iPhone 7 lives to tell the tale.

Fully waterproof

We’ve already seen waterproof phones from the likes of Sony, and heard rumours of a waterproof iPhone 7, but this is the first time we’ve encountered an active rather than passive form of waterproof detection.

Find out what we thought of the latest iPhone: read our review of the iPhone 6s

iPhone 7 at a glance

Release date

The iPhone 6s was released on 9 September this year, so it’s likely we’ll see the iPhone 7 around the same time next year – probably alongside the announcement of the Apple Watch 2.

Design and features

The iPhone 7 represents a full upgrade rather than an incremental one, such as the iPhone 6s. This means it’s almost certain to benefit from a complete chassis redesign – and throw in a fair few new features.

Screen

The iPhone 6 represented the first time Apple hda created more than one size of iPhone, and it’s likely it will do the same for the iPhone 7. We expect to see both an iPhone 7 and an iPhone 7 Plus next year. As for the screen? Reports suggest it may use the same AMOLED technology seen in Android phones, but some analysts disagree.