The Samsung Galaxy Note7 is water resistant with a certified rating of IP68. That means it can withstand being submerged up to 1.5 metres deep and that even includes the new S-Pen. While charging technology has come a long way with faster speeds and wireless convenience, Samsung has also introduced a rather interesting accessory that makes “wet charging” possible.
Meet the Backpack. It’s Samsung’s official battery case that charges up the Galaxy Note7 even in wet environments. It has a 3,100mAh capacity battery and shares the same IP68 dust/water resistance. Since the USB Type-C port is usually disabled when moisture is detected, the Backpack juices up the device via wireless charging.
On the downside, the case does make the Galaxy Note7 substantially thicker but does get a nice textured surface for a more grippy feel. It clips on to the phone on all 4 corners and it charges up via USB Type-C at the top.
Like a typical power case, there’s a button and 4 LED lights to indicate its power levels. We are also told that it supports NFC so you can use SamsungPay with the case attached. Compared to Apple’s solution, this is definitely better.
At the moment, there’s no pricing or tech specs for the Backpack and we believe it would cost a premium for its water-resistant charging proposition. Would you pay extra for the ability to charge your phone in the wet?