After misleading marketing materials resulted in several water-damaged Xperia phones, Sony has been hit by a class-action lawsuit where those affected might get a refund on the device.
When Sony launched the Xperia Z3 back in 2014, the company touted advanced waterproofing with its IP68 rating — which is the highest level achievable — among other features.
However, after the bold claims made by these marketing materials resulted in several warranty claims, the Sony Blog was quickly updated shortly after the launch of the Xperia Z4 — and then again after the launch of the Z5 — reflecting its new stance on the water and dust protection feature. It suggested that users not use the device underwater even with its previous advertisements showing otherwise.
Due to the apparent lack of support for users who were affected by water-damaged phones, and the reluctance from Sony to repair these devices under warranty — thanks to its rather confusing stance on the whole process — has since resulted in a class-action lawsuit in the US. Those who attempted to claim and were denied by the company, requiring the user to pay for the repair, can now submit their complaints to the class-action website. The lawsuit points to the possibility of affected consumers receiving a refund of 50% on the recommended retail price of their device once the process concludes, depending on the outcome.
Sony devices covered under this class-action lawsuit include the following:
If you have one of these devices and never made a claim against the warranty, it remains to be seen if you’re eligible for this refund, due to it requiring a submission of all correspondence in relation to the water-damage claim. However, the lawsuit does make provisions for a warranty extension if you happen to not have damaged the phone and it’s still covered, so it is suggested that you submit your claim regardless.
Source: Android Police | Image via Xperia Blog
