Personally, I would have still purchased my S6 Active even if it wasn't IP68 certified. I love the rugged aesthetics of the Active line. No glass back and non-metallic edges made me comfortable enough to use it without a case. Battery life is outstanding. However, the glass is still susceptible to damage just like any other S6 or S7 but that's the deal with thin, smudge resistant displays.
For this whole "waterproofing" IP68 certification, it seems like Samsung wasn't banking on people subjecting their devices to more "wet" conditions. Maybe they're not ready for devices to be completely submersible and can withstand whatever the consumer throws at it. Samsung isn't the only manufacturer to offer such devices either. I wonder how the others stack up. Are they experiencing claims of water damage at Sony or Moto/Lenovo support?
Because of my experience with the S6 Active and water damage, I don't think it meets its claim of being IP68 certified. To me, it's just a splash resistant, rugged looking S6 with a better battery.