Sony Xperia Waterproof Case Update: Court Approves Preliminary Settlement for Lawsuit
Sony will be reimbursing about 50 percent of the retail price of the "waterproof" Xperia phones and tablets connected to the lawsuit filed against the company by a number of unsatisfied clients.
Android Authority reported that the Japanese conglomerate has agreed to a preliminary settlement with regards to the false advertisement released for its Xperia lineup. These include the Xperia M2 and M4 Aqua, Xperia ZR, Xperia Z Ultra, Xperia Z1 and Z1 Compact, and the Xperia Z1s (T-Mobile). Also on the list are the Xperia Z2, Xperia Z3 (also Compact and T-Mobile), Xperia Z3v (Verizon), Xperia Z3 Dual, Xperia Z3+ Dual and Xperia Z3+. Other devices in question are the Xperia Z5, Xperia Z5 Compact, Xperia Z2 Tablet (WiFi, LTE and Verizon LTE), Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact (WiFi and LTE) and Xperia Z4 Tablet (WiFi and LTE).
Sony tagged the devices as waterproof in the commercials previously released, where they could allegedly be placed in 1.5 meters of water for half an hour. Moreover, it was shown that the phones could be used to take photos underwater. Shortly after, device owners started filing water-related warranty claims with the company when their gadgets got damaged. PC Mag reported that the issues included botched audio functions, dying screens and repetitively locking phones. Sony noticeably tweaked its Xperia support page on water and dust protection after these incidents and this time warned the users not to bring their devices while swimming.
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After a legal battle that lasted a year, a preliminary agreement between the complainants and Sony was approved by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York.
In the agreement, the company will be giving 50 percent refunds to clients whose devices were still in warranty as of Aug. 3. They can reportedly file a claim until Jan. 30, 2018. Owners with water-related issues whose claims were rejected by Sony will reportedly receive up to $300.
Meanwhile, those who are unsatisfied with the settlement may inform the court on or before Nov. 1. Since it is only a preliminary agreement, it is still subject to change until the final approval.
