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Samsung is set to change the warranty for the Samsung Galaxy S4 Active, a waterproof phone that surprisingly isn’t covered for water damage.
“We are working to improve the warranty condition of the GALAXY S4 Active for customers”, Samsung told me today. “We will update once it is finalized.”
The warranty for the S4 Active currently doesn’t cover damage from water, which is pretty standard for regular phones — but if I’d splashed out on a supposedly waterproof phone and it got damaged by liquid I’d darn tootin’ want my money back.
Meanwhile a US network is reported to be acknowledging that life with the S4 Active doesn’t always go swimmingly. According to PhoneArena, US phone network AT&T is to offer an amnesty on water-damaged S4 Active phones, dealing out a new Active to anyone who’s first phone took a bath.
The Active holds an IP67 certificate, which means it should be able to be submerged in 3 feet of water for 30 minutes without any problems. But this is the first official suggestion the S4 Active may not like getting its feet wet.
Here in the UK, Samsung is playing down the problem, telling me “Samsung actively monitors for product quality and will investigate questions of specific individual devices if they arise.”
Smart phones contain a Liquid Damage Indicator or Liquid Contact Indicator — a little button that changes colour if your phone gets wet. On an iPhone 5, you can see it in the SIM card slot, or in the charging slot and headphone jack in older models. It’s designed to be sensitive only to properly serious water contact like a plummet into your pint, but irate customers have found themselves in hot water over rain or a steamy bathroom.
If your phone does take a spill, here’s
how to save a wet mobile phone — and more importantly, what not to do. Or hit play on our video below to how the Samsung Galaxy S4 lasts underwater in our head-to-head destruction test with the iPhone.
Is Samsung under a cloud with the S4 Active? Tell me your thoughts in the comments or on our Facebook wall.
