Samsung was fined $9.7 million (around ₱534 million as of June 2022) in Australia over misleading claims about the waterproof capability of its Galaxy smartphones.
This verdict came after Samsung released a series of ads to showcase how its Galaxy smartphones could withstand water seepage. The ads show that Samsung phones are exposed to much water, even while surfing and swimming at the beach.
Many high-end Samsung phones have an IP68 to ensure dust and water resistance. Therefore, exposing the phones to water for a limited period and at a fixed depth is possible.
However, this feature has one major drawback: the device can only be exposed to fresh water.
However, the Australian regulators cited that the phones depicted in the ads looked inaccurate because they had been exposed to pool water and saltwater.
In addition, the Australian authorities also reported that many owners have complained that their phones have broken down due to water exposure.
Ads have been running from 2016 to 2018, promoting the Galaxy S7, S7 Edge, A7, A5, and Note 8, with the Galaxy S7, S7 Edge, A5, 2017, and Note 8 smartphones.
