The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are rated IP68 under IEC standard 60529, which Apple’s tech specs define as a maximum depth of 6 meters for up to 30 minutes. That is the same rating and the same depth Apple lists for the iPhone Duo, and it covers dust as well as water.
The rating is one of the few durability figures Apple publishes as an exact number, so it is worth knowing what the two digits mean and what the test does not simulate. Here is what Apple’s tech specs for the iPhone 18 Pro say, how the figure compares with the rest of the September 9 lineup, and the questions the spec page leaves open.
Key facts from Apple’s tech specs
| Item | iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max |
|---|---|
| Rating | IP68 |
| Standard | IEC 60529 |
| Maximum depth | 6 meters |
| Maximum duration | 30 minutes |
| Frame | Aluminum unibody |
| Front glass | Ceramic Shield 2 |
| Back glass | Ceramic Shield |
| Price from | $1,199 (Pro), $1,299 (Pro Max), 256GB |
Both sizes carry the identical rating. Apple’s tech specs do not list a separate figure for the 6.9-inch model, so the extra size of the Pro Max does not change what it is rated to survive.
Don’t miss the best of The Mac Observer
Set us as a preferred source and our Apple reporting ranks higher in your Google Search results and Discover feed — one tap, no account changes.
What the 6 and the 8 in IP68 mean
IEC 60529 is the standard behind every IP code. The first digit rates protection against solids and the second against liquids. A 6 is the top of the solids scale and means dust-tight. An 8 means the device can be immersed beyond 1 meter under conditions the manufacturer specifies, which is why Apple attaches its own depth and time: 6 meters, 30 minutes.
Two phones can both say IP68 and be tested to different depths, because the 8 only guarantees more than 1 meter. Apple’s tech specs do not, in the pages we compiled, list salt water, chlorinated pools, hot water or high-pressure jets as covered. Treat 6 meters as a ceiling under controlled conditions rather than an invitation to take the phone diving.
How the rating compares with iPhone Duo, iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro
| Model | Rating | Depth and time on Apple’s pages | Enclosure |
|---|---|---|---|
| iPhone 18 Pro | IP68 | 6 m, 30 min | Aluminum unibody, Ceramic Shield 2 front, Ceramic Shield back |
| iPhone 18 Pro Max | IP68 | 6 m, 30 min | Same as iPhone 18 Pro |
| iPhone Duo | IP68 | 6 m, 30 min | Titanium frame and hinge cover, Ceramic Shield 2 front, Ceramic Shield back |
| iPhone 17 Pro | IP68 | Not in the compare rows we have | Titanium frame |
| iPhone 16 Pro | IP68 | Not in the compare rows we have | Titanium |
The headline is that the iPhone Duo matches the Pro phones despite folding. Apple’s Duo tech specs give the same 6 meters and 30 minutes under IEC 60529, and Apple’s marketing page describes titanium for the frame and hinge cover. Apple’s compare page lists IP68 for the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro, but the rows we captured do not include depth and duration for those models, so we do not repeat figures we cannot confirm.
The frame changed too. Apple’s tech specs describe the iPhone 18 Pro as an aluminum unibody, replacing the titanium frame Apple’s compare page lists for the 17 Pro, and the water rating is unchanged by that switch. See our iPhone 18 Pro vs iPhone 17 Pro comparison for everything else that moved.
Water ratings across Apple Watch and AirPods 5
| Product | Water rating | Standard | Dust |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple Watch Series 12 | 50 meters (swimproof) | ISO 22810:2010 | IP6X |
| Apple Watch Ultra 4 | 100 meters; recreational scuba to 40 meters | ISO 22810:2010 and EN13319 | IP6X |
| AirPods 5 (both models) | IP57 | IEC 60529 | Dust rating 5 |
The watches use a different standard. ISO 22810 is a water-resistance rating for wristwatches expressed in meters, and Apple lists dust separately as IP6X, meaning dust-tight with no liquid rating claimed under the IP code. The Apple Watch Ultra 4 adds an EN13319 dive rating to 40 meters with a depth gauge accuracy of plus or minus 1 meter.
The AirPods 5 carry IP57 on both the $129 and $149 models. In the IEC scale the 7 denotes temporary immersion to 1 meter, one step below the iPhone’s 8, and the 5 means dust-protected rather than dust-tight.
What the rating does not tell you
- It is a test result, not a promise about any individual phone. Apple’s tech specs, in the material we compiled, do not describe warranty coverage for liquid damage, so check Apple’s warranty terms before relying on the rating.
- It does not specify water type or temperature. The standard is a controlled laboratory immersion.
- It says nothing about the USB-C port after a dunk. Apple has not published guidance on the spec page about charging a wet iPhone 18 Pro.
What Apple has not said
- Whether the 6-meter test applies to salt water, pool water or moving water.
- Whether liquid damage is covered under warranty; the tech specs page does not address it.
- The exact depth and duration behind the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro IP68 ratings, which are not in the compare rows we have.
- Any change in sealing design between the iPhone 17 Pro’s titanium frame and the iPhone 18 Pro’s aluminum unibody.
The iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1,199 and the Pro Max at $1,299 for 256GB, according to Apple’s Store page. Pre-orders open Saturday, September 12 at 5 a.m. PT and the phones ship Friday, September 18, so the first real-world water tests will follow soon after. Our iPhone 18 Pro vs 18 Pro Max guide covers the other differences between the two sizes.
