When the Samsung Galaxy S7 devices were unveiled, they were served in bowls of water. The statement was clear, the gorgeous device can be submerged in water or used in the rain without suffering any damage. But recent tests reveal that the Samsung flagships may not be as waterproof as Samsung claims them to be.
In a torture test recently conducted by warranty service provider SquareTrade (see video below), the Galaxy S7 and the Galaxy S7 Edge were submerged in water 5 feet deep for 30 minutes. The outcome? Everything worked just fine except for damaged audio, which came out muffled and distorted after the devices were dried off.
Technically, the S7s could be considered waterproof, especially in comparison with the performance of the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus, which both sustained worse damage when subjected to the same torture. The issue, however, rests on the waterproof claim. Verizon is saying that the S7s can withstand submersion of up to 5 feet for 30 minutes, which was exactly the condition of the waterproof test. Samsung has also backed this up in its website, citing that that the device is indeed water resistant when submerged 5 feet underwater for 30 minutes.
Moreover, the company says that the S7s are IP68 certified in its marketing peripherals. This means that the devices can resist water and emerge unscathed when submerged in water with depth that exceeds 1 meter.
Raising the waterproof issue might be considered nitpicking, but a clarification is required. Users could go snorkeling or take underwater snapshots without knowing the exact waterproof capability of their Galaxy S7. There is a risk of destroying the handset with the unclear depth requirements.
Consumers should note that the Galaxy S7's durability might also be suspect. Actual tests show that the devices are vulnerable to serious screen damage in cases of face down drops and bending in comparison with other devices such as the competing iPhone flagships.
Samsung is yet to comment on the hardware issues raised so far. In the meantime, S7 users are advised to be careful about accidental bumps, drops and even water exposure.
