iPhone 7 will be a dive computer; maybe

[dmaziuk]

If Apple figured out how to overcome the water pressure acting as a massive button press on their touch screen, I will be truly impressed.

That's easy; fill it with dielectric fluid e.g. mineral oil.

 

[teknitroxdiver]

I don't believe the new "3d touch" is capacitive, but I could be wrong.

Anyway, Alberto here makes a case for phones allowing them to be cameras and dive computers.

That is true, but the 3D portion is quite irrelevant most of the time. The regular touch sensitivity is still capacitive.

 

[undrwater]

That is true, but the 3D portion is quite irrelevant most of the time. The regular touch sensitivity is still capacitive.

Consider a "dive mode" where the capacitive screen is disabled, and the "3d" becomes primary.

Anyway, I agree that "waterproof" likely means "don't panic when it falls into the toilet".

 

[TheHuth]

I'm sure a purpose built device would be much better suited and reliable. But hey, wishful thinking right? Nothing better than a device that is warranted to work, and insured if its lost, stolen, or broken.

 

[Pinecube]

My guess is that it will be rated IPx7. While they will still call it "waterproof" or "water resistant", it means that it will only be rated for submersion up to 1m for 30 minutes. Great when you accidentally drop it into a puddle, not so great for scuba.

 

[claymore]

Any manufacturer who calls their product WaterProof should be avoided. It is not a term that is acceptable, almost nothing is WaterProof if you submerge it far enough. Water Resistant is the proper term and there are standards for what the ratings are. I believe the rating for scuba is 200 meters.

 

[Reku]

(I repair smartphones, tablets, computers etc in my spare time)

Using any smartphone as a dive computer is asking for trouble - smartphones in general are quite unstable and I would avoid betting my life on one. It is safer to use a dedicated system when it comes to monitoring your CNS, NDL, etc. I mean I guess you could use one but - it's a mistake you may not live through.

 

[dave of welly]

We do not make the cases.
We make the depth/temperature sensor and the Smart Dive Computer app.

I have a watershot housing, how far have you tested these with your software and hardware? i am dubious at this stage to take mine beyond snorkelling levels

 

[Mr Carcharodon]

I just saw the new ads for the iPhone 7. They're saying it will be waterproof, and have useful functions for a diver or underwater photographer. I'm betting an app will make it in to a full Dive Computer.

The crazy thing is today when I was driving, I was wondering if it would be possible to create a special water proof case for an iphone with buttons that you could use with gloves. You could then leverage the CPU in the iphone to use it as dive computer.

Apple To Release iPhone 7, iPhone Pro, iPhone SE In 2016

To make a dive computer the phone has to know what depth it is at. How will that work in a iPhone? It seems a tiny minority of Apple's customers would want this so why would they provide a sensor that almost no one wants? For that matter their phones do not even survive getting wet.

 

[DiveNav]

I have a watershot housing, how far have you tested these with your software and hardware? i am dubious at this stage to take mine beyond snorkelling levels

Watershot has several models of housings for iPhone. Some are rated to 60m / 195ft.
Our sensor is rated and tested at 40m / 130ft.
We have sipped hundreds of units to divers all around the world.