If you are planning to get your hands on the upcoming flagship, then it would do good to be prepared for the worst case scenario. Yes, the Galaxy S8 is indeed IP68 water and dust resistant. But let’s not forget that the IP68 certification only protects the device to a maximum of 1.5m water depth and a maximum period of 30 minutes in water.
This certification is to ensure that your smartphone survives instances like being dropped into a pond or a sink. It does not, by any means, tell you that you can use your smartphone under water without worry. It would be wise to avoid these situations as much as you can.
How to check for water damage on the Galaxy S8 and S8+
- To start with, stop using your device.
- If your device is on, then turn it off immediately. If it has gone off, then let it stay that.
- Wipe the surface of the device dry with tissues or paper towels.
- Then open the SIM/microSD tray and look into the slot.
- Look for a white box in the corners of the slot.
- If the box is a shade of red, the water has entered the device. If it is white, then you have nothing to worry about.
If the white box or the Liquid Damage Indicator is red in color, then you will need to act immediately to remove any moisture content from inside the device. Yes, it is possible to do just that. Silica gel is the best moisture absorbent but if you do not have any at the time then you can use plain old rice. Place your device into a container of rice and leave it there for about 48 hours.
Things not to do when your device is wet
- Do not try to operate your smartphone before the 48 hours is up. You may cause the components to short circuit if there is moisture inside.
- Do not try to remove water using a hair dryer or by leaving in direct sunlight. Heat, like water, does not play well with electronic components.
- Do not shake the device to remove water. You may send water droplets further into the device.
If you can muster the patience to wait for about two days, then you may have a high chance of recovering your Galaxy S8.
