With the October 4th launch event of the new Pixel smartphones from Google and HTC fast approaching, more details about the handsets have been making their way to the internet. As per sources of Android Police, the upcoming Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones will sport an IP53 certification that does not make them dust and water-resistant. This is the same certification that the HTC 10 also comes with.

Considering that major flagship phones like the Galaxy S7, Note 7, and iPhone 7 feature an IP67 or higher rating, it is disappointing to see that the HTC-made Pixel smartphones do not feature a similar certification.

The ‘5’ in IP53 indicate that the upcoming Pixel smartphones will be dust protected. They will not be dust right, which means that dust can still get inside the phone in limited quantity, but it will not interfere with the phone’s working in any way. The ‘3’ denotes that the water is protected against “spraying water” at an upright angle that does not exceed 60-degree. Yeah…..alright.

In a nutshell, the phones are not water-resistant and dunking them in water (or any form of liquid) will essentially kill them for good. The IP53 rating of the new Pixel smartphones is good enough for you to use them for a brief period of time while it is raining, but anything more than that and their internals can be damaged.

Considering that the rumored starting price of Pixel smartphone is $650, it is disappointing to see the phones not coming with an IP67 or higher rating especially when other flagship phones priced similarly are coming with one.