Skip to main content

Samsung, AT&T won’t replace water-damaged S7 Actives if warranty is expired


Once your Galaxy S7 Active’s one-year warranty is up, good luck getting Samsung and AT&T to replace your device if it succumbs to water damage.

While most manufacturers and carriers do not replace smartphones that are damaged by water, even during the warranty period, Samsung bills the Galaxy S7 Active as the rugged, tough big brother to the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge — one that is able to withstand drops to the concrete and handle liquid poured directly onto it. The problem? Consumer Reports says the IP68-rated S7 Active failed its water-resistance test — and Samsung was even able to replicate the issue.

The Korean giant responded swiftly after an internal investigation, saying that a manufacturing issue may have contributed to inadvertent leakage. The company maintained that the water damage will affect only a “very, very small number” of devices, and said that it wouldn’t be recalling Galaxy S7 Active units already in stores.

“We found a problem in the production line that we were able to correct,” a spokesperson for the company said. The problem was corrected on July 8, Samsung said, and Galaxy S7 Actives shipping now won’t be prone to the sort of water damage exhibited by the model tested by Consumer Reports.

Samsung hasn’t recalled prior, defective S7 Active models, and now Consumer Reports has learned that the company will not replace water-damaged devices after the one-year warranty ends. Samsung previously recommended current owners who haven’t observed any defects not to return their device pre-emptively, but if a device suffers from water damage under the standard limited warranty, it can be replaced.

Samsung and AT&T aren’t disclosing any information that would help people identify the fixed phones and the water-vulnerable ones. If you happen to have an issue with your S7 Active, you may also have trouble getting assistance: AT&T clerks reportedly directed people with water-related issues to Samsung, and Samsung says people with faulty devices should reach out to the retailer from where the device was purchased.

We have reached out to Samsung for comment.

Previously, Samsung issued a statement in response to the Consumer Reports test, saying that the “Galaxy S7 Active passed rigorous tests to ensure … certification for water-resistance.” The company also said it “stands behind this water-resistance certification,” and that it will replace any water-damaged units so long as the damage occurred under its standard limited warranty.

Samsung advertises that the Galaxy S7 Active is designed using the IP68 engineering standard, which should make it both dust- and water-resistant. Specifically, the phone is supposed to be able to operate after complete immersion in five feet of water for 30 minutes.

Interestingly enough, Samsung’s other two models in the S7 line, the standard S7 and the S7 Edge, both passed the same water-resistance test, and topped the Consumer Reports smartphone ratings. Samsung designed and advertised the S7 Active as the best choice for users who were hard on their phones and needed a rugged alternative.

Article originally published on 07-17-2016. Kyle Wiggers, Julian Chokkattu, and Williams Pelegrin also contributed to this report. Updated on 08-09-2016 by Julian Chokkattu: Added news that Samsung and AT&T would not replace device outside of the standard limited warranty. 

Editors' Recommendations

Dave Palmer
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Dave’s technology geek-fest began with the classic Commodore 64 computer, which started a lifelong passion for all things…
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 vs. Samsung Galaxy Tab S7
Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 feat image.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 was one of the best Android tablets at the time it was released and was a decent iPad rival for anyone looking for an Android slab. The tablet received an upgrade this year in the form of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8. While the display size remains the same, Samsung claims to have made improvements in the newer version -- but is the newer model worth buying? Here's a Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 versus Galaxy Tab S7 comparison to help you decide if the Galaxy Tab S8 is worth upgrading for or whether you can save money by grabbing the older model.
Specs

Samsung Galaxy Tab S8
Samsung Galaxy Tab S7

Read more
Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S8 shows why Android 12L isn’t enough
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra with keyboard.

Android tablets have usually fallen behind iPads and Windows tablets when it comes to offering good tablet experiences. With Android 12L, Google is taking that particular bull by the horns. The update will roll out to Pixel phones starting next month, but Samsung's recent announcement of the Galaxy Tab S8 casts a shadow over what should be a revival for Google's tablet ambitions because it shows that the problem with Android tablets isn't really with the interface.
What's Android 12L?
To quickly recap, Google last year announced Android 12L, an initiative the company is using to make Android a better experience on tablets and foldables. The company will continue this work through Android 13 and has hopes for app developers to step in line and create apps that would work better with Android going forward. The big issue here is that Android 12L is redundant for the most part -- and the Tab S8 is a reminder of that.

Android 12L, as far as focusing on bigger screen devices goes, amounts to pretty much a user interface revamp. There's a new multi-pane interface for the lock screen and the notification center, and there's support for a dock for productivity scenarios. But none of this actually fixes problems that exist for users. If you've done any shopping for Android tablets recently, you'll notice that companies like Samsung that actually sell Android tablets have pretty much always had their device software competently tablet-optimized.
Android tablets already have optimized interfaces
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPGzX_y8ccM

Read more
The Samsung Galaxy S22 isn’t charging as fast as it should
Galaxy S22 Plus charging port.

The Galaxy S22 series comes with two types of chargers, 25-watt adapters for the base S22 model and 45 watts for the S22+ and the S22 Ultra. However, tests with both adapters seem to indicate that they don't really make a difference to overall charging time.

When comparing the time it takes to reach a full charge with all models in the S22 line, it becomes apparent that spending the extra cash on a 45W adapter is a complete waste as all devices take the same amount of time, according to tests done by GSMArena.

Read more