Water resistant Samsung Galaxy S7 phones ‘not covered for water damage’, angry Brits discover
Samsung's adverts for its 'water resistant' Galaxy S7 phones feature actors leaping into swimming pools and dropping their phones into a kitchen sink
A FUMING Samsung customer couldn't believe her eyes when she discovered her "water resistant" device warranty did not include water damage.
Several people are claiming to have been left out of pocket after their Galaxy S7 phones broke when dropped in water – despite a massive advertising campaign showing them being used in the shower and dropping them in fountains.
The Samsung S7 phones were released in early 2016 with the tagline: "The earth is made up of mostly water. We’re made up of mostly water. We need water to survive. So we made a water-resistant phone."
But shoppers discovered that water damage isn’t covered by the phone’s warranty, and have been coughing up for costly fees to get their phones fixed.
One Brit, who asked not be named, broke their phone after it was dropped in a swimming pool "for 30 seconds maximum".
The phone stopped working, and they claimed engineers said that the S7 device was only safe from "fresh water".
Fresh water has less corrosive materials than salt water or chlorinated water, both of which can easily kill the circuit in a phone.
The Samsung owner told the Sun: "They turned around and said it’s water resistant in freshwater. They said tap water was fresh water.
"I turned around and said 'are you aware that tap water has chlorine and fluoride in it?'
"They said, ‘yeah but that’s different’."
Samsung's S7 warranty clearly states that any water damage is excluded – leaving customers stumped.
It states: "Do not immerse the device in water deeper than 1.5m and keep it submerged for more than 30 minutes."
The customer said: "There are thousands of people who have bought the S7 Edge on the basis that it is water resistant and as per the TV ads can be used to take photos in swimming pools and dropped in water."
Adverts for the phone also show Paralympic athlete Ellie Simmonds swimming lengths in a pool.
In one clip, actors can be seen showering with their devices.
The revelations come as the tech giant today releases a brand new "water resistant" smartphone called the Galaxy A.
A spokesperson said: "The Galaxy S7 and S7 edge are IP68-certified for water and dust resistance and have gone through strict quality assurance testing to ensure that they meet and exceed industry standards. While we cannot comment on individual cases, we are committed to working with any customer who has experienced an issue with a Samsung product in order to investigate the matter."
It follows a difficult year for the manufacturer, which was forced to recall its Samsung Galaxy Note 7 devices after they kept exploding.
Rival Sony was forced to pull adverts claiming its Experia phones were waterproof in 2015.
After several complaints it advised customers not to immerse their devices in water.
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