A class action settlement filed against Sony regarding the waterproof capabilities advertised for a number of Xperia devices has been preliminarily approved by a U.S. federal court in New York. The lawsuit claimed that Sony sold mobile devices that were deceptively advertised as waterproof.
The lawsuit alleged that Sony designed, manufactured, distributed, advertised, and sold certain mobile devices that were misrepresented as waterproof, but were not designed for or capable for underwater use. Furthermore, the suit also claimed that the company exploited some international water resistance ratings in order to launch the marketing campaign promoting the devices as waterproof.
The class action lawsuit website said that the settlement provides for warranty extension and claims for prior water-related warranty claim rejections from Sony.
The company has denied these allegations and will be settling with the court on Dec. 1 for the final terms.
This is not the first time that Sony has encountered problems with the labeling of its devices as waterproof. In 2014, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) of South Africa ordered Sony to discontinue using the term "waterproof" in describing the Xperia Z1 in the country following a complaint filed regarding the device.
In 2015, the company updated its website which advised its users to "remember not to use the device underwater" despite the devices having an IP68 certification. The company explained that while its devices have the certification, the tests were conducted in laboratory conditions and with the phone in standby mode.
"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 metres," said the company on its website. "After 30 minutes in the container, the device is gently taken out and its functions and features are tested."
If the allegations are found to be true, the company may need to pay a large sum as a result of the incorrect labeling.
