Apple Watch Vs The Shower

[Sgt_Sharkey]

Hi guys, I have my new AWS SG and was wandering if anyone has tried or do they wear it whilst in the shower? Sounds a silly question but I wanted to ask and see other peoples points and opinions on the matter.

Cheers

 

[MH01]

Yes you can wear it in the shower. Plenty of people on here do.

 

[DynamicSausage]

I showered with my watch the first 2 days of owning it. The watch performs perfectly fine and you can even still use the screen while it's covered in water but I found that water obviously kept getting trapped underneath the band which was uncomfortable.

I may still shower with it occasionally. In a way it's an easy way to keep it clean and rinse the crown too but I won't be doing it every day just because I will have to take it off again anyway to dry my wrist and the band.

 

[Newtons Apple]

There have been several threads of people that do wear their AW in the shower. It should not hurt the watch but I see no purpose in it. Might as well leave you socks on, too!

 

[Julien]

Here is one of the biggest Showering threads. https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/showering-with-applewatch.1873252/

Also I'm approaching 60, 4 runs in the rain (1 extreme tail with mud), 3 car washes plus I may have washed my hands a time or two.

 

[Bob190]

Hi guys, I have my new AWS SG and was wandering if anyone has tried or do they wear it whilst in the shower? Sounds a silly question but I wanted to ask and see other peoples points and opinions on the matter.

Cheers

I guess I don't understand why anyone would want to. It is a great time to charge it. Additionally, removing it from your wrist to wash that area helps prevent any skin irritation. There is no reason to shower with it.

 

[ozziegn]

There have been several threads of people that do wear their AW in the shower. It should not hurt the watch but I see no purpose in it. Might as well leave you socks on, too!

My thoughts as well. I wonder if some people are that lazy to where they don't want to do the extra work in taking the watch on and of their wrists? If so, I hope I never get that lazy.

 

[Newtons Apple]

My thoughts as well. I wonder if some people are that lazy to where they don't want to do the extra work in taking the watch on and of their wrists? If so, I hope I never get that lazy.

My favorite response was that they did not want to miss any calls or messages

 

[fischersd]

Just remember that they do explicitly tell you in the users guide not to bathe or swim with it. (the Tim Cook quote was leaked from a private meeting with Apple retail employees in Germany).

So, if you DO manage to kill it with water it may or may not be covered by warranty. (We're waiting for the first few lucky people to tell us how that pans out).

 

[eneisch]

My favorite response was that they did not want to miss any calls or messages

And with Apple Watch 2 we might have Facetime calls from the shower!

 

[Bob190]

Just remember that they do explicitly tell you in the users guide not to bathe or swim with it. (the Tim Cook quote was leaked from a private meeting with Apple retail employees in Germany).

So, if you DO manage to kill it with water it may or may not be covered by warranty. (We're waiting for the first few lucky people to tell us how that pans out).

I will say that we have heard almost nothing about water incursion into the AW thus far, and with 2.9 million watches sold, I am sure a lot of them have been underwater is some shape or form. It must actually be waterproofed pretty well.

 

[fischersd]

I will say that we have heard almost nothing about water incursion into the AW thus far, and with 2.9 million watches sold, I am sure a lot of them have been underwater is some shape or form. It must actually be waterproofed pretty well.

Yep. The IPX7 rating that Apple certifies it to is actually pretty low (it's 1m of water for 30 minutes). 1m of water equals 1.4psi of pressure. That's hardly anything at all (the streams coming from your shower head are considerably more). So, if there is water ingress, it's almost certainly exceeded what Apple warrantied it for. (I wouldn't be surprised if they put a pressure sensor on the system board for that purpose).
I think we've had 4 or 5 of these threads where we've debated this. Ultimately, we don't know what Apple will do until some people start taking their watches in with water damage - and don't have AC+ to protect them.

 

[Newtons Apple]

And with Apple Watch 2 we might have Facetime calls from the shower!

Now that will be a reason to wear it during a shower for real!

 

[Gjwilly]

How would a pressure sensor on the system board measure the pressure of a stream of water directed at the case?

 

[fischersd]

How would a pressure sensor on the system board measure the pressure of a stream of water directed at the case?

Heh. Likely wouldn't be able to unless you left it on that stream until it filled the case and then put pressure on the water that's filling the case.

An instrument that measures pressure would be more useful from an exceeding depth standpoint (like at the bottom of a pool or scuba diving).

If the sealants/gaskets are rated for considerably higher and there's evidence of them being ripped off by high pressure and there's evidence of water ingress causing damage, then it should be a safe conclusion that the IPX7 rating was exceeded. (again, it's a pretty low measure).

 

[Julien]

How would a pressure sensor on the system board measure the pressure of a stream of water directed at the case?

Here it is at 75 psi at 140' depth with no problems. Also here is other water tests too.

http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2015/05/apple-watch-waterproofing.html

 

[Gjwilly]

Here it is at 75 psi at 140' depth with no problems. Also here is other water tests too.

http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2015/05/apple-watch-waterproofing.html

Neither test shows measuring a stream of water directed at the case.
I'm not saying it can't handle water. I'm saying that Apple would not be able to detect shower damage vs rain damage.

 

[Julien]

....I'm saying that Apple would not be able to detect shower damage vs rain damage.

Pleas elaborate, there are no type of water detectors in the Watch. What do you mean by "...able to detect shower damage vs rain damage"

Water is water and if it ingresses into the case that is all that can be deduced from examination. There is no way short of a video or chemical analyses of telling shower water damage from rain water damage (ore any other water).

 

[meikdunj]

Yep when having a shower at the gym. Give the watch a wash down. No issues.

 

[Gjwilly]

Pleas elaborate, there are no type of water detectors in the Watch. What do you mean by "...able to detect shower damage vs rain damage"

Water is water and if it ingresses into the case that is all that can be deduced from examination. There is no way short of a video or chemical analyses of telling shower water damage from rain water damage (ore any other water).

My comment was a response to one above mine that said Apple probably had sensors on the board that would be able to detect that a shower had exceeded the recommended water exposure rates.

 

[srshaw]

I bet the watch is pretty well waterproofed but personally I wouldn't shower in it. Infact last week I got nervous when I go caught in the rain at a music festival and my watch got wet for quite an extended period. There was of course no problem.

 

[gsmornot]

Watch did fine at two different water parks and a few rain showers so far. A regular shower should be no problem.

 

[Newtons Apple]

Yep when having a shower at the gym. Give the watch a wash down. No issues.

I would likely make an exception and wear my AW at the gym in the shower just to prevent it from being stolen. But my gym is at the house and i still see little reason to wear it in the shower.

 

[parseckadet]

Neither test shows measuring a stream of water directed at the case.
I'm not saying it can't handle water. I'm saying that Apple would not be able to detect shower damage vs rain damage.

What point are you trying to make here? Are you saying water streaming out of a shower head is greater than 75psi? I highly doubt it, or every watch that's rated to 50m would be destroyed in the shower.

 

[fischersd]

Each one of these threads is so pointless. People dig their heels in and nothing gets settled.
The watch is obviously designed well above IPX7 - pretty easy to see that.
No-one knows what Apple will do if people bring in watches damaged by water (as the level that they warrant the watch to is so low, exposing it to considerably more is going to be pretty evident).
The shower vs rain comment? You have shampoo and soap in your rain?

Maybe they'll give people a pass, maybe they'll ask you to get out your credit card or use your AC+ (if you have it). Time will tell.