Samsung's main mid-range Galaxy A5x and A3x phones have only offered IP67 water and dust resistance for many years now. There was a time when some handsets in the Galaxy A series offered the superior IP68 protection.

Today's launch of the Galaxy A57 and the Galaxy A37 has confirmed that both devices bring back IP68 protection to Samsung's mid-range lineup.

Samsung has consolidated its Galaxy A lineup in recent years, removing several models to focus more on these two core offerings. The Galaxy A (2017) offered IP68 water and dust resistance as far back as 2017. The Galaxy A8, launched in 2018, also had the IP68 rating.

None of the recent Galaxy A5x and A3x models offered it as Samsung kept the protection level at IP67. That changes with the Galaxy A57 and Galaxy A37 this year as both now offer IP68 water and dust resistance.

The IP68 ensures full protection against dust and improves submersion in water up to 1.5 meters deep for 30 minutes. The key difference between the two ratings is that while IP67 also ensures dust-tight protection, it only certifies submersion in water up to 1 meter for 30 minutes.

While that may not change things materially in day to day use, it's a nice little upgrade to having, considering the fact that both the Galaxy A57 and Galaxy A37 are slightly more expensive compared to last year's models.