HzO 'Talking to Apple' About Water Blocking Technology for Future iPhones

Pocket-lint reports that Utah company HzO, which was showing off its "WaterBlock" technology for providing water resistance to mobile devices at last week's CES, has said it is talking to Apple about the possibility of including the technology in future iPhones and other devices. Samsung is also reportedly "excited" by the technology.

"We showed the Samsung Chairman the technology with a Samsung Galaxy S that we had coated with HZO and he couldn't believe his eyes," a representative of the company told us. "Samsung is really excited by the tech."

The company has told us that they are also talking to Apple as well, hoping to be able to let Apple make the iPhone 5 waterproof.

"We expect HZO to be in next season's phones," HZO told Pocket-lint rather confidently.

The WaterBlock technology, which consists of a coating applied to interior device components to help them resist water damage, is performed during the manufacturing process and is invisible to the user.

hzo iphone
It is difficult to know how serious the company's discussions with Apple are, and any substantial conversations would almost certainly be subject to non-disclosure arrangements. In addition, expo floor exhibitors are of course primarily interested in promoting their products, and any mention of discussions of partnerships with major companies is a good way to generate publicity.


Consequently, it is impossible to put any measure of weight on speculation that Apple might adopt HzO technology, but it does appear to be an interesting possibility for mobile device manufacturers seeking to improve the durability of their products.

Popular Stories

iPhone Pocket Short

iPhone Pocket is Now Completely Sold Out Worldwide

Tuesday November 25, 2025 7:16 am PST by
Apple recently teamed up with Japanese fashion brand ISSEY MIYAKE to create the iPhone Pocket, a limited-edition knitted accessory designed to carry an iPhone. However, it is now completely sold out in all countries where it was released. iPhone Pocket became available to order on Apple's online store starting Friday, November 14, in the United States, France, China, Italy, Japan, Singapore, ...
New Intel Logo

Apple and Intel Rumored to Partner on Mac Chips Again in a New Way

Friday November 28, 2025 7:33 am PST by
While all Macs are now powered by Apple's custom-designed chips, a new rumor claims that Apple may rekindle its partnership with Intel, albeit in a new and limited way. Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today said Intel is expected to begin shipping Apple's lowest-end M-series chip as early as mid-2027. Kuo said Apple plans to utilize Intel's 18A process, which is the "earliest...
iphone black friday gold

The Best Black Friday iPhone Deals Still Available

Friday November 28, 2025 6:24 am PST by
Cellular carriers have always offered big savings on the newest iPhone models during the holidays, and Black Friday 2025 sales have kicked off at AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and more. Right now we're tracking notable offers on the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air. For even more savings, keep an eye on older models during the holiday shopping season. Note: MacRumors is...
apple store down feature

Here's Why the Apple Store is Going Down

Thursday November 27, 2025 1:01 pm PST by
Apple's online store is going down for a few hours on a rolling country-by-country basis right now, but do not get your hopes up for new products. Apple takes its online store down for a few hours ahead of Black Friday every year to tease/prepare for its annual gift card offer with the purchase of select products. The store already went down and came back online in Australia and New Zealand, ...
streaming black friday 2025

Best Black Friday Streaming Deals - Save Big on Apple TV, Disney+, Hulu, and More

Thursday November 27, 2025 1:14 pm PST by
We've been focusing on deals on physical products over the past few weeks, but Black Friday is also a great time of year to purchase a streaming membership. Some of the biggest services have great discounts for new and select returning members this week, including Apple TV, Disney+, Hulu, Paramount+, Peacock, and more. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When...
Cyber Monday Deals 2025

Best Cyber Monday Apple Deals Include Big Discounts on AirPods, Apple Watch, and More

Sunday November 30, 2025 7:33 am PST by
Cyber Monday is here, and you can find popular Apple products like AirPods, iPad, Apple Watch, and more at all-time low prices. In this article, the majority of the discounts will be found on Amazon. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running....
iphone air camera

iPhone Air Flop Sparks Industry Retreat From Ultra-Thin Phones

Thursday November 27, 2025 3:14 am PST by
Apple's disappointing iPhone Air sales are causing major Chinese mobile vendors to scrap or freeze their own ultra-thin phone projects, according to reports coming out of Asia. Since the ‌iPhone Air‌ launched in September, there have been reports of poor sales and manufacturing cuts, while Apple's supply chain has scaled back shipments and production. Apple supplier Foxconn has...
Netflix Smaller 4

Netflix Kills Casting From Its Mobile App to Most Modern TVs

Monday December 1, 2025 4:36 am PST by
Netflix has quietly removed the ability to cast content from its mobile apps to most modern TVs and streaming devices, including newer Chromecast models and the Google TV Streamer. The change was first spotted by users on Reddit and confirmed in an updated Netflix support page (via Android Authority), which now states that the streaming service no longer supports casting from mobile devices...
studio display purple february

M5 iPad Pro Could Hint at New Studio Display Feature

Sunday November 30, 2025 10:30 am PST by
The updated specs of the M5 iPad Pro may point toward a major new feature for Apple's next-generation Studio Display expected in early 2026. Apple's latest iPad Pro debuted last month and contains one display-related change that stands out: it can now drive external monitors at up to 120Hz with Adaptive Sync. The feature should deliver lower latency, smoother motion, and fewer visual...

Top Rated Comments

TimUSCA Avatar
181 months ago
This is an example of a company that would make sense for Apple to just outright buy. The iPhone being waterproof would be a *major* selling point.
Score: 69 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nikhsub1 Avatar
181 months ago
For those of you that think this is so 'revolutionary' you need to just google conformal coatings. This has been done for years, and is nothing new, exciting or groundbreaking at this point. I have been water cooling computers for almost 15 years now and have used conformal coatings you can spray out of a can that work just as the video with the iphone. I LOL'd at "these guys just hit the lottery" :D Trust me, Apple has known about conformal coatings forever, they are not stupid and like I said it is nothing new. There are potential downsides, one is that it can help to retain heat...
Score: 29 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Primejimbo Avatar
181 months ago
This is a great idea, BUT I can see the posts "I can't replace my iPhone battery without damaging the waterproofing coating &*%!@ APPLE!!!"
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iSee Avatar
181 months ago
"We expect HZO to be in next season's phones," HZO told...
I think this means there is almost no chance Hz0 will have anything to do with the iPhone 5.

Apple's partners keep their mouths shut. HzO surely knows this. So this sounds like a desperate ploy to get attention from other manufacturers.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DavidLeblond Avatar
181 months ago
Can I get just enough to apply to the moisture detection strip of my iPhone?
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
daxomni Avatar
181 months ago
Apple's partners keep their mouths shut. HzO surely knows this. So this sounds like a desperate ploy to get attention from other manufacturers.
What exactly makes this "desperate" rather than just a normal ploy?
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)