Apple’s iPhone 7 Could Be Waterproofed By Use Of Rubber Port Cover

A patent filed in July 2014 and revealed this week, but still pending approval with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, could waterproof upcoming iPhones made by Apple. The patent involves the use of a rubber port cover that loses and regains its shape.

With the technology, the rubber port cover would seal if a headphone jack is removed and regain its shape if the jack is plugged in, reports TechRadar. Ports are the points of entry for water to enter phones and destroy the gadget.

Also called a self-healing elastometer, The Verge reports that some varieties of this technology also protects the phone against dust, debris, water, gas and other natural materials. The implication of the technology is that phone owners could use their units to take selfies even during a dust storm without risking damaged to the gadget.

A detailed teardown seen by the tech website has shown that the iPhone 6S is almost waterproof. Another patent uses hydrophobic coating to protect the device's inner circuitry is the unit is accidentally drenched or dunked in water or other liquids.

Those patents indicate that upcoming smartphones, such as the anticipated iPhone 7, made by the Cupertino-based tech giant could be 100 percent waterproof. However, TechRadar also notes that not all approved patents become real products.

Apple has yet to catch up with competitors such as Sony, whose Z5 phone, and Samsung, whose Galaxy S6 Active, have waterproofed headphones and power ports that do not require special covers. However, the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6S, owners are discovering, are at least water-resistant, although Apple did not advertise that feature.