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Sony Decides Its Waterproof Xperia Phones Are Not Actually Waterproof

Mark Wilson writes: Sony seems determined on confusing its customers by giving very conflicting advice about its Xperia smartphones. If you're familiar with the range, you'll no doubt be aware of the advertising material that appears to show users taking photos in the rain and even (seemingly) underwater at the pool. Take a look at the picture above and you'd probably assume that a) it depicts someone shooting a video or taking a photo in a swimming pool, and b) you can do the same with your phone. But you'd be wrong (at least on b) because Sony has changed its mind about what waterproof means. Or it doesn't know. It really depends on where you look on the Sony website.

3 of 136 comments (clear)

  1. It's not officially supported by lucm · · Score: 5, Funny

    you need to root the phone to make it waterproof.

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    lucm, indeed.
  2. Re:Mountains and Mole Hills... by fuzzyfuzzyfungus · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Just because advertisers have always been depraved abhuman shitweasels, why should we tolerate them being so now? If anything, the fact that a given sector has always been rotten seems like a better argument for extirpating it than for putting up with it.

  3. Re:Mountains and Mole Hills... by flopsquad · · Score: 5, Interesting

    The kicker is that water inside is used as evidence that you had a plug out.

    Indeed. My experience with the equally waterproof-but-oh-not-actually Galaxy S6 Active:

    Me: I've had it underwater for a few minutes total, to a depth of a foot at most. It flipped its shit, the screen bugs out and it thinks a Galaxy Gear is plugged into it.

    Customer Service Rep: OK. Take the SIM tray out. Is the ring white or red?

    Me: Red.

    CSR: Well that's proof that water has gotten into the phone, so unfortunately there's nothing we can do for you.

    Me: The red ring is proof you've sold me a defective product. You advertise it as able to withstand water under the conditions in which I've used it. Your own commercial has this device getting doused in ketchup, dropped hard, and then dunked into a bowl of milk. Water getting in means it didn't function as advertised.

    CSR: You must've used it wrong.

    Me: Everything was perfectly secured and I used it in a way supported by the manual and your advertising materials. You even have an "Aqua Mode" explicitly for taking pictures underwater.

    CSR: ...

    Me: If you don't make this right, I'm just going to dispute the charge on this defective product.

    CSR: Unfortunately there's nothing I can do.

    They ended up with their defective phone back and I ended up with my money back. PITA, though.

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    Nothing posted to /. has ever been legal advice, including this.