14 DAY TRIAL // One particular feature that differentiates Sony’s smartphones from all the others on the market is their IP68 certification. In theory, this means that the device can be used in up to 1.5m of water for up to 30 minutes, without any significant damage coming to it.
When releasing new Xperia handsets, Sony often teases images of people taking photographs underwater, using the phones in question. So you can imagine our surprise when Sony Mobile retracted its stance related to its Xperia waterproof devices.
Now if you check out Sony Mobile’s support page on water and dust protection, you’ll be able to read Sony’s new policy statement, which says the following:
“Remember not to use the device in underwater. The IP rating of your device was achieved in laboratory conditions in standby mode, so you should not use the device underwater, such as taking pictures.”
Sony is not sure its waterproof phones will survive a real-life test
It appears that, at the moment, Sony is no longer confident the devices can be successfully used underwater without consistent damage being caused and the company having to repair them under warranty.
Sony goes on to explain the process of testing:
“Sony devices that are tested for their waterproof abilities are placed gently inside a container filled with tap water and lowered to a depth of 1.5 m. After 30 minutes in the container, the device is gently taken out and its functions and features are tested.”
As you can see, Sony places a great emphasis on the word “gentle.” Naturally, in real-life conditions, users won’t probably take that much care when handing the device underwater, which means there a high risk the phones will be damaged in the process.
The new guidelines appeared ever since the Xperia Z3+/Z4 made its way into the wild in May 2015, but back then, it was thought the outlines applied only for this specific phone. But then the Xperia Z5 family launched and the same disclaimer appeared.
Back when the Japanese company unveiled the Xperia Z3 flagship, it called it the device with the “highest level of waterproofing,” saying it was a “fully waterproof” handset. So what happened in the process for Sony to retract its previous claims?