S4 Active stopped working after placing in a bowl of water.

[milehigherik]

Got mine last week. Put it in a bowl of water on Saturday and the screen stopped coming on about an hour later. It still powers on and the buttons work just the screen doesn't light up. I can hear the screen responding to my touch. I called ATT this morning and they got me to Asurion who tried to charge me $199 deductible. Hung up and called ATT back and simply said that my phone stopped working. The rep didn't ask me to specify whether there was physical or liquid damage but a replacement is on the way. When I say replacement I mean HTC One. I figure since the S4 Active was so laggy and not water resistant as advertised ( I personally don't feel comfortable about it anyway )I just went back to the HTC One.Do you think after they receive the phone that clearly has liquid damage because the indicators are red I will be charged? Again as I said the rep did NOT ask me to specify.

Please note that I pressed the back cover in the areas mentioned on the sticker on the back. It was in the bowl of water for about 3 seconds. The front facing camera has moisture in it.

 

[Scott Kenyon]

If they try to charge you for it, I'd argue it's a feature of the phone, because IT'S A FEATURE OF THE PHONE! Tell them you must have had a defective unit and refuse to pay for it. Do this nicely and escalate it properly, you'll be fine.

Just as an aside, don't do this with the HTC One

 

[ICEmayne]

Bummer on the S4 active.

Sent from my HTC One using AC Forums mobile app

 

[nickgalaxys4]

I would fight that if they say that you have to pay,because thats what the phone says it's waterproof.

 

[milehigherik]

Haha for sure on the HTC One advice. I loved the HTC One and the only reason I considered getting rid of it was for a more durable phone. My girlfriend dropped my One and then I noticed a Wi-Fi deathgrip issue. Had them send me a replacement and it had the same issue. If you cover the top right side I can quickly watch the wi-fi signal drop. Even confirmed with Wi-Fi analyzer app and most importantly just browsing the web. However as previously mentioned the S4 active was laggy for me and if I don't feel comfortable putting it in or near water then there's no reason for me to have it. I'm looking at it right now as the notification light flashes but screen doesn't light up at all. Weird cause all the touch screen features are functioning.

I work in the IT department at my company and deal with ordering replacement phones iPads etc. I always approach them kindly first but certainly have no problem attacking from a different angle if I feel I'm not getting the response I want.

If they try to charge you for it, I'd argue it's a feature of the phone, because IT'S A FEATURE OF THE PHONE! Tell them you must have had a defective unit and refuse to pay for it. Do this nicely and escalate it properly, you'll be fine.

Just as an aside, don't do this with the HTC One

 

[anon(52425)]

I would fight that if they say that you have to pay,because thats what the phone says it's waterproof.

It's not waterproof.

 

[Scott Kenyon]

It's not waterproof.

Water resistant for up to 30 minutes at depths of up to a foot. This dude had it in a bowl of water for under a minute.

 

[milehigherik]

Actually they say 3' for up to 30 minutes. I don't need all that. I like to golf with my girlfriend and hock golf balls in the creek sometimes (Just so I can hit em' right back in the water) and wade in the water sometimes. I just wanted something that can handle that. If I want a camera that can be submerged to a reasonable depth and not have to worry I'd be using my Olympus which is good to 30' without issues for 13 months now.

It's not waterproof.

 

[anon(52425)]

Actually they say 3' for up to 30 minutes. I don't need all that. I like to golf with my girlfriend and hock golf balls in the creek sometimes (Just so I can hit em' right back in the water) and wade in the water sometimes. I just wanted something that can handle that. If I want a camera that can be submerged to a reasonable depth and not have to worry I'd be using my Olympus which is good to 30' without issues for 13 months now.

There is a difference between water PROOF which this phone is not and water resistant, which this phone is more close to.

 

[milehigherik]

Honestly then why give the false security and say that it has an underwater camera mode? Is that not total hogwash?

 

[milehigherik]

I mean really don't whizz down my back and tell me it's raining.

 

[anon(52425)]

Honestly then why give the false security and say that it has an underwater camera mode? Is that not total hogwash?

Yeah, I would agree that it IS misleading. This phone is not sealed enough to allow for that kind of activity. They talk about the lack of coverage when your phone is water damaged in the manual. You get a case like a Lifeproof or an Otterbox Armor, designed for that stuff then you're good to go. Just playing with this phone in the store before getting it I realized it was perfect for the occasional accidental spill, dunk, etc. but not for underwater stuff. I was surpised when I started seeing all these videos of people taking their phones in pools. Phil's review showed the Active in the way I would hope AT&T and Samsung would want to market it.

 

[ICEmayne]

Isn't this the definition of false advertising?

Sent from my HTC One using AC Forums mobile app

 

[Almeuit]

Isn't this the definition of false advertising?

Sent from my HTC One using AC Forums mobile app

Pretty much.

Sent from my Sprint HTC One using AC forums.

 

[skipatrol]

Honestly then why give the false security and say that it has an underwater camera mode? Is that not total hogwash?

This is exactly why I wouldnt worry about the indicators. It has a freaking aqua mode for underwater picture taking! If you had it sealed correctly, in my mind, its a defective phone. I still want this thing. I think the first batch has a few duds unfortunately.

 

[SirGeorgeKillian]

Water resistant for up to 30 minutes at depths of up to a foot. This dude had it in a bowl of water for under a minute.

Ummmm did you miss the part where it quit working after an hour?

Honestly why would you submerge your phone in the first place? I know the safety on my gun works but that doesn't mean I point it at myself and pull the trigger. Hope you don't do the same thing with your One.

Sent from my Samsung S4.

 

[Sidewinder2180]

I was talking with a guy from Samsung at the Best Buy Samsung shop. About the Active for my dad ( he kills phones by walking into the river with them in his pocket) And the guy at Samsung said you have to seal the ph to make it waterproof anyone know more about this? They did not have a ph for me too look at so he couldn't show me.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

 

[anon(52425)]

I was talking with a guy from Samsung at the Best Buy Samsung shop. About the Active for my dad ( he kills phones by walking into the river with them in his pocket) And the guy at Samsung said you have to seal the ph to make it waterproof anyone know more about this? They did not have a ph for me too look at so he couldn't show me.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

There is a seal under the battery cover that you need to make sure is completely closed at all snap points then the phone is water resistant.

 

[trandz]

I'd get rid of the phone just because of the garbage Samsung is playing with this. Don't make it look like a duck quack like a duck but then say it's a Pigeon.

In other words don't commercialize what you can do with the phone when you can't do actually do it. I understand that fast food looks better on commercial but when you order a big mac your not getting something the complete opposite.

Posted via Android Central App

 

[anon(52425)]

I'd get rid of the phone just because of the garbage Samsung is playing with this. Don't make it look like a duck quack like a duck but then say it's a Pigeon.

In other words don't commercialize what you can do with the phone when you can't do actually do it. I understand that fast food looks better on commercial but when you order a big mac your not getting something the complete opposite.

Posted via Android Central App

And for those that have been doing just fine with their phones?