Earlier today, we reported that Samsung was likely to post disappointing Q2 2019 results. Now, it is being revealed that the South Korean giant was recently sued by an Australian consumer watchdog over misleading advertisements. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) filed a lawsuit stating that Samsung misled consumers by showing ads that put its phones at the bottom of the pool and in the ocean.
Samsung’s higher-end models are IP68 certified which means its water and dustproof. In order to market this feature, the company often resorted to ads which show the phone being used inside pools and beaches. ACCC claims that these ads mislead customers because Samsung’s IP68 phones are only tested for waterproofing in freshwater sources. So, it states that the company hasn’t sufficiently tested the effects of pool or saltwater exposure on its phones.
“The ACCC alleges Samsung’s advertisements falsely and misleadingly represented Galaxy phones would be suitable for use in, or for exposure to, all types of water, including in ocean water and swimming pools, and would not be affected by such exposure to water for the life of the phone, when this was not the case,” ACCC Chair Rod Sims said.
Those who are familiar with IP68 rating might already know the waterproof smartphones in the market today from Huawei to Apple to Samsung are tested in freshwater sources only. In fact, Samsung mentions this on its website. However, ACCC claims that Samsung did little to explain this fact in its advertisements.
ACCC lawsuit concerns all waterproof smartphones released by Samsung since 2016 including Galaxy S series flagships, Note series, and a handful of waterproof A series models.
Samsung responded to Reuters by saying that its advertisements complied with Australian laws and that it would defend the case.
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