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Samsung Galaxy S7 Active Fails Consumer Reports Water-Resistance Test (consumerreports.org)
An anonymous reader writes: The Samsung Galaxy S7 Active is apparently not-so-active. It should be the more durable version of the Galaxy S7 family but apparently it's not. Because of this, Consumer reports is not going to mark it as "Recommended" even though it performed very well in all the other tests it ran. [Jerry Beilinson writes from Consumer Reports:] "Consumer Reports technicians placed a Galaxy S7 Active in a water tank pressurized to 2.12 pounds-per-square-inch, the equivalent of just under five feet of water, and set a timer for 30 minutes. When we removed the phone, the screen was obscured by green lines, and tiny bubbles were visible in the lenses of the front- and rear-facing cameras. The touchscreen wasn't responsive. Following our standard procedure when a sample fails an immersion test, we submitted a second Galaxy S7 Active to the same test. That phone failed as well. After we removed it from the tank, the screen cycled on and off every few seconds, and moisture could be seen in the front and back camera lenses. We also noticed water in the slot holding the SIM card. For a couple of days following the test, the screens of both phones would light up when the phones were plugged in, though the displays could not be read. The phones never returned to functionality." Samsung has said "The Samsung Galaxy S7 active device is one of the most rugged phones to date and is highly resistant to scratches and IP68 certified. There may be an off-chance that a defective device is not as watertight as it should be." Although, given the fact that Consumer Reports tested multiple devices, Samsung could have a widespread issue on their hands. They company said it is investigating the issue.
Is this the phone that they featured in a TV commercial that have people pouring champagne on it and dipping into an aquarium? I don't like the idea of a water resistant phone. I have some friends who won't turn off their phones and insist on taking every call they get while I'm talking with them. Very annoying. Tossing their phones into my 25-gallon fish tank was very effective deterrent to this behavior.
Don't put your phone into water.
Thank you, drive through.
I have a Chinese smartphone, cost 100 dollars, I have dropped it on concrete multiple times, worst that happens is the back pops off. No cracked screens, no scratches. Where as 1/2 the people I know with quality brands have had a cracked screen before or dead one.
Chinese phones aren't perfect though, I am certain the battery will blow up someday
Well I'm glad I saw this article because I've recently been thinking about buying this phone. I really want a waterproof phone and was really disappointed with the experience of an iPhone in a Lifeproof case. It's weird that the S7 is actually tougher than the S7 Active. One thing that's missing from all the specs and reviews I've seen is how often it's rated for immersion. Is it 30 minutes over the life of the phone or 30 minutes per day or something else.
Chinese ruggedized phones ranging from 120 to 600 dollars. Unlike the samsung phones mentioned here however they are much more seriously ruggedized with screw on covers and o-ring seals to ensure they are waterproof. Makes charing a bit more of a bitch (unless you have a Qi charger for them) but it ensures they can at least take the occasional dunk in the toilet without failing completely.
I find it somewhat disappointing how much attention all the crappy big-brand hardware gets on slashdot and elsewhere when the Chinese have had either original designs or knockoffs from smaller third party manufacturers covering all these niches for at least the last 5-7 years. Between android cell phones, ruggedized phones, and arm+android based netbooks before the first chromebooks came out, I have to ask what innovation the western world is providing that hasn't already been done by the chinese, albeit with less marketing and possibly unreliable (but generally consistent) quality control for a fraction of the 'first world company' cost.
samsung builds crap phone this is the prove
The S5 was advertised as being waterproof as well, and advertisements had people taking selfies underwater. Mine didn't survive a single splash of water that must've gotten it rather wet for several seconds.
I took it to the repair guy (screen needed to be replaced, if I recall). He told me he was repairing the s5 for water damage all the time.
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5 feet is well over 1 meter. This is the same as dropping it in 100 feet. If you go over spec, and it fails, your test means nothing.
Watergate is back and this time we can't blame Nixon for it.
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5 feet is well over 1 meter. This is the same as dropping it in 100 feet. If you go over spec, and it fails, your test means nothing.
As your title says: "IP68 is 1 meter OR MORE, AS SPECIFIED BY THE MANUFACTURER".
So, the manufacturer can specify any depth higher than 1 meter, and the device must be able to withstand that.
In this case, Samsung, the manufacturer, specifies "- IP68 certified - dust proof and water resistant over 1.5 meter and 30 minutes".
So this is not the same as dropping it in 100 feet, this is exactly following the specs of the manufacturer, and seeing that the device fails them.
I'm sorry but where exactly in the consumer reports article says that it didn't pass the test?
Consumer Reports AFAIAC is a borderline scam. I bought what was their top-recommended printer which was supposed to be economical with inks and it sucks through those ripoff cartridges at a ridiculous rate. And you have to get genuine cartridges because the manufacturer rigs it so only theirs work. Total scam and I will never buy a printer from Canon (nor probably HP as well) again!
You may have heard that sealing your phone in a bag of rice will extract moisture. Here's a hygroscopic product that works even better: DampRid.
Even so, sometimes it takes a long time. Don't give up on that device. It may power on after a few weeks or months in the bag of DampRid.
That that is is that that that that is not is not.
The Sony Xperia M4 Aqua is also a piece of shit in water. The SD card slot leaks if you've used it more than like 2 times. Found that out the hard way.
I used to wash it after every shift on the line, much to the amusement of the dishwashers. Also took it swimming in saltwater quite a bit, and running in the rain more times than I can count. Never a problem. So far, my vanilla S7 is just as durable, if not more so - the waterproof USB port is a quantum leap over the stupid little flap-door-thing on the S5. If the heat wouldn't get to it, I'd try putting it in the dishwasher..
Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored. - Aldous Huxley
My iPhone 5s survived a trip through the washing machine.
I let it dry naturally for around a month and it works just fine.
Perhaps Samesung should copy this feature from Crapple?
I would much rather trust a 5 feet water submersion test than a 2.12 psi pressurization in water test. Getting even pressurization in pumps is very difficult, they are most often impulsed.
Here's a genuinely useful and scientific post. Mods, please do your thing!
who the hell brings their phone 5 feet under-water? How the hell is a smart-phone for daily use "not recommended for use" if it can't survive 30 minutes under 5 feet of water? This reeks of a shitty attempt at attacking Samsung's reputation and to damage their sales. Is the agenda to try to boost Apple sales, by any means?
By the time Samsung has a phone that can survive under 5 feet of water, these ass-hats will put it under 10 feet and use THAT to say Samsung's phones are "not recommended for use".
Ignore the people who performed this test and wrote the report, and anything they write.
How can a phone with a glass touchscreen glued to the LCD be called "active"? If it falls, it shatters.
Now the good old Sony Xperia Acro S is an "active" phone. It not only survived several falls into ponds, it also mastered falls onto tarmac and rocks while hiking without shattering, thanks to a very strong plastic touchscreen and the LCD being quite below it. Unfortunately the phone is old and slow.
"It's such a fine line between stupid and clever" -- David St. Hubbins, Spinal Tap
I have an RSA token.... its been through the washing machine AND dryer, and still worked again after just a few hours...
oh... all 3 times it happened.....
"I opened my eyes, and everything went dark again"
How are Samsung defining IP68? IP68 requires that the phone be able to be placed in at least 1m (~3ft) of water. The manufacturer should then state to what depth it's covered. Do Samsung say that it's certified to greater than 1m?
IP68 is _typically_ up to 3m, but has a minimum spec of 1m.
The 6 of 68 is the dust spec - this is the highest dust spec and requires that the phone be subject to a vacuum for up to 8 hours.
The 8 is the water spec and is the 2nd highest spec (9K being the next)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...