Lifeproof builds a water-tight iPad case, but what happens if it fails?

If you read books, watch movies, and use an iPad Air for everything, it makes total sense to bring it everywhere you go, but what about the beach, the pool, or somewhere with a risk of water damage? Lifeproof has an answer, but it won’t be for everyone.

This week, Lifeproof — one of the few accessory makers for phones and tablets that focuses mostly on ruggedisation and water resistance — is showing off what can happen when you build a water resistant case for the iPad Air that doesn’t need its own piece of glass or plastic covering the tablet, relying on a closeness in design that should stop water from penetrating any area where it doesn’t belong.

That’s the crux of the Lifeproof Nuud, a case made for the iPad Air 2 that focuses on letting you touch the same Retina display people already like with nothing else getting in the way, and no reason to hold this behind an extra layer.

To do this, the Nuud case hugs the iPad Air 2 completely, with gaskets designed to keep water out and seal the glass out from the rest of the body, blocking the ports, the speakers, the microphone, and the buttons from a possibility that liquid could seep in and ruin the tablet.

We’re told this design also keeps Apple’s Touch ID usable on the Air 2, with the casing hugging the screen so well that it shouldn’t impact or hamper usability in any way.

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“Lifeproof Nuud is the ideal companion for the travel-friendly iPad 2 thanks to its advanced protection and completely uninhibited touch access to the Retina display,” said Steve Nisbet, Managing Director for Lifeproof in the Asia Pacific region.

“Lifeproof makes it easier to bring smartphones and tablets on any adventure. Whatever puddle, sandbox, snow field or rock face becomes your next playground, Lifeproof’s protective cases allow you to bring technology every step of the way.”

With a price of $169.95 for the case, it’s not too much of a gamble to try it out, but what happens if it fails?

Simply put: you’re in a bit of a sticky situation.

Talking to Lifeproof about it, we were told that if the case were to fail and your iPad were to drown, the warranty only extended to the case, not the actual device.

Overseas, Lifeproof handles any issues with an optional extra called the “Total Water Protection Program” which allows customers to replace a broken device at a lower cost if they opted for that extra coverage.

But not in Australia, with representatives for the company pointing us back to Lifeproof’s case warranty.

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We need to note that we haven’t seen a Lifeproof case fail yet, but we’re also pointing out that we’ve only experimented with Lifeproof cases that have included screen protection and didn’t rely on close mounts and a design that aimed at blocking water from hitting any other part of the device.

If you trust the brand and are good to try it, you’ll find Lifeproof’s Nuud for iPad Air 2 at JB HiFi stores across the country now for a recommended retail price of $169.95.

Meanwhile, if you’re feeling a bit of trepidation for what could happen, there are always enclosed solutions out there, or even plastic sandwich bags. Alternatively you could choose not to bring the iPad to the pool or beach, though, where’s the fun in that?

The Lifeproof Nuud case has been designed to keep the screen exposed, but block off the other areas -- the bits you should never submerge -- from liquids.
The Lifeproof Nuud case has been designed to keep the screen exposed, but block off the other areas — the bits you should never submerge — from liquids.