Review Oceanic iPhone Dive Housing

[kimh]

I agree the Oceanic housing could become quite good if they can fix the software.

I don't think the OP's experience video is representative though, being out-of-date in the meantime, due to multiple software updates. If this case were really so bad, it would be getting bad reviews everywhere, which is not the case. Ahem.

The product came out very recently. Starting w/brand new hardware and software like this, it would be a mistake to expect a completely seamless experience. If you want a seamless experience, don't buy v1.0 of a new product concept like this, right after launch. Complaining is fine – but this is just reality.

Personally, I wouldn't treat the Oceanic case as a full-fledged DC. I don't want my DC to be dependent on terrestrial hardware that must be protected/sealed & unsealed correctly on an ongoing basis. That seems kind of dumb. But I think the DC functionality is still useful, as a potential backup, and as a sort of heads-up display that you see even if you're getting absorbed in your photography.

Too bad there’s not a separate app for the housing than the Apple Watch Ultra with its dive computer focus.

Not quite sure what this means- the AWU is not part of using the case. Unless you're just referring to visible DC info, which I think does have some utility. I wonder if there's an option to turn off all display of DC info.

 

[AsherN]

Not quite sure what this means- the AWU is not part of using the case. Unless you're just referring to visible DC info, which I think does have some utility. I wonder if there's an option to turn off all display of DC info.

The default setting is smaller and shows depth and time. The neat part of it is that if you view the photos though the Oceanic app, it will show you where you were in your dive profile.

 

[bwong2132]

I should note one other observation.

When I first started playing with it, on Friday, I put my phone in it while I was in the shop and my truck was parked close by outside.

With the phone in Airplane mode and the Oceanic app running, and the phone sealed inside the case, apparently it got signal from the Wireless Carplay in my truck. A CarPlay notification popped up on the screen. The only way I could dismiss it was to go through the process to open the case so I could actually touch the screen.

Also, if you have Air Tags, or other devices on Find My, you will get a notification that things were left behind when the boat leaves the dock (at best) or when you are diving down (at worst). As you said, if you have those devices, it is best to leave them in your hotel, deal with the notifications, then put the phone into the housing.

 

[kimh]

…if you have Air Tags, or other devices on Find My, you will get a notification that things were left behind…

If you activate airplane mode before putting your phone into the case (which you should do anyway), these notifications should not be a problem.

 

[bwong2132]

If you activate airplane mode before putting your phone into the case (which you should do anyway), these notifications should not be a problem.

Sadly, even with airplane mode on, the AirTag notifications still come through. My solution on a liveaboard is to put the AirTags on one end of the boat and the phone at the other end so that I can dismiss the missing notifications.

Also, very importantly, make sure you don't have any timer or clock alarms that can go off during a dive. If an alarm goes off, your videos for that dive will have the alarm sound.

Lastly, as noted before, make sure you have access to the Internet. One one dive, I had to restart the Oceanic app because it froze. The app did not come up because we were too far from land and the satellite Internet receiver on the boat was down. My workaround is to make sure you log into the Oceanic app and never try to restart unless you have strong reliable Internet service.

I dove with this housing 29 times in different parts of the world.

 

[kimh]

Sadly, even with airplane mode on, the AirTag notifications still come through.

You can turn off AirTag notifications in software. I haven't needed to do that, but there are tons of Google results:

turn off airtag notifications - Google Suche

I'd expect Oceanic to document this clearly- if not, they should.

…make sure you don't have any timer or clock alarms that can go off during a dive. If an alarm goes off, your videos for that dive will have the alarm sound.

Apparently you can use Siri to turn off all alarms in one step. Sounds like something an iOS "shortcut" could do, too. Worth looking into- something else Oceanic should document.

Lastly, as noted before, make sure you have access to the Internet…

This shouldn't be necessary, given common dive scenarios, and it's hard to believe it's expected behavior. Have you checked with Oceanic?

I dove with this housing 29 times in different parts of the world.

How was the photography experience?

 

[AsherN]

This shouldn't be necessary, given common dive scenarios, and it's hard to believe it's expected behavior. Have you checked with Oceanic?

You need internet connection after the app has been terminated, or the phone rebooted in order to log in the app.

 

[kimh]

You need internet connection after the app has been terminated, or the phone rebooted in order to log in the app.

I just now rebooted my phone and was still logged in when I launched the Oceanic app afterward, while in airplane mode (ie no internet). Same, after force-quitting the app.

Have you checked with Oceanic?

 

[kimh]

2.0.14 Update is Now Available​

Thank you for using Oceanic+. We've listened to your feedback and have implemented the following enhancements: Optimization for Offline Use: We've made significant improvements to ensure the app works smoothly without an internet connection. This includes better handling of network tokens for users with VPNs or under restricted internet conditions. CPU Performance and Battery Consumption: Significant optimizations have been made to CPU performance, which not only reduces battery consumption remarkably but also minimizes device overheating. These changes promise a more efficient and cooler operating experience when using the Dive Housing. Screen Brightness During Standby: To further boost battery efficiency, we've introduced an adjustment that lowers the screen brightness during standby mode. DNG Export for Signed RAW Files: We've revamped the system for exporting DNG files from signed RAWs, addressing an incompatibility issue across various aspect ratios.