Mobile phones are notoriously fragile. They fall and break, screens shatter, any exposure to water or moisture can short them out. It is the price to pay, of course, to have the latest and greatest smartphone that is also small enough to fit in your pocket.
But the thing about the Samsung Galaxy S Active series is that they are supposed to be designed to withstand a little more abuse than the average smartphone. The “Active” line is supposed to be a little sturdier, a little tougher; you know, for “active” people who would prefer to take their phones camping, boating, rock climbing, etc.
Sure, you wouldn’t take it with you if you were playing rugby or deep sea diving, but for those whose lifestyle takes them outdoors a little more often, the Samsung Galaxy S Active series is supposed to be a little more reliable.
Samsung Galaxy S7 Active
Take the Samsung Galaxy S7 Active, for example. One of the major selling points of this device model is that is was supposed to be waterproof. Unfortunately, it was found, recently, that a manufacturing glitch caused some of the Samsung Galaxy S7 models to fail in average underwater conditions the phone was designed to survive. The discovery was made, of course, during a Consumer Reports dunk test during which investigators submerged devices that did not live up to the challenge.
It is important to note, of course, that while the result of the test was clear, Samsung public relations manager Phil Bernie reminds that “compared to the total number of devices sold, it was tiny.”
Still, Samsung set out to correct the problem and, according to Bernie, they are handling the situation. Bernie goes on to say, “We found a problem in the production line that we were able to correct,” declining to provide any additional details. Fortunately, he says, they have corrected the issue and the phones are now shipping to retailers problem-free. However, he also makes sure to remind that, at least to the best of his knowledge, the Samsung Galaxy S7 Active devices released to stores in previous shipments are not being removed from shelves and inventory.
This means, of course, that if you choose to purchase a Samsung Galaxy S7 Active, there is a chance you could receive a faulty device. The good news is that you can take the phone back directly to the retailer or send it directly to Samsung for immediate replacement.