Despite its successor, the Galaxy Watch 5, the Galaxy Watch 4 is still a smartwatch worth buying, but will Samsung wearables survive exposure to water? Some Samsung smartphones have some form of water resistance, including the Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Galaxy Z Fold 4 folding phones. Even Samsung’s true wireless earbuds are sweat and splash resistant, make them perfect when you exercise. However, none of these products are completely waterproof.
Released in 2021, the Galaxy Watch 4 is the first smartwatch to run Wear OS 3 developed by Samsung and Google. Smart watches are integrated with many sensors capable of measuring heart rate, blood oxygen levels, blood pressure and electrocardiogram measurements. It also has a sensor that measures body composition, similar to a smart scale. The Galaxy Watch 4 has an IP68 rating, meaning it’s dust and sand resistant, and is water resistant to a depth of 5 feet (1.5 meters) for up to 30 minutes. This level of water resistance makes the Galaxy Watch 4 suitable for use in a variety of wet environments.
Not all listed water sports modes are safe
SAMSUNG
The Galaxy Watch 4 can be worn in the rain, diving underwater, and even tracking some underwater activities. However, users should remember that Samsung has warned on the support page that “This watch is not suitable for scuba diving.It also advises users to avoid high-speed sports such as water skiing, windsurfing, kitesurfing and rafting. Although it lists these activities among supported exercise modes, which include swimming, water aerobics, rowing, kayaking, kitesurfing, rafting, rowing, sailing, scuba diving, snorkeling, water skiing and windsurfing. For safety reasons, users should avoid wearing the watch when participating in activities in deep water or high speed.
Therefore, the Galaxy Watch 4 should be limited to tracking swimming, sailing, and water aerobics as these are not high-speed activities. In addition, it is recommended to wash the watch with fresh water after using it in sea water. This is to remove salt in seawater that can cause corrosion. After contact with water, users should dry the watch with a clean, soft cloth. It also shouldn’t be charged when wet.
Can I take a shower while my Galaxy Watch 4 is on?
This waterproof rating means the Galaxy Watch 4 is safe to wear in the shower as well. That’s great news for those who almost never take their watch off, saving you an extra step in the shower (or the possibility of damaging your device in a moment of distraction). However, Samsung notes that the watch should not be exposed to high-pressure water, such as from a faucet or high-pressure hose, so users should be careful.
Whether you’re swimming or jumping in the shower, it’s recommended that you turn on the water lock to protect your device and prevent water from accidentally falling onto the screen. This can be done by opening ‘Quick Installation‘ and click the . iconWater lock mode.‘ User can also enter ‘setting‘ from home screen, then ‘Advanced Features,’ then tap ‘water lock‘ convert. Starting certain exercise modes, such as swimming, will automatically enable it. Galaxy Watch 4 owners should also be aware that if their smartwatch is dropped on the floor and suffers structural damage, it may lose its water resistance.
Source: Samsung 1, 2, 3