yashsingh1/xdaforums huggingface dataset:
[Galaxy S 4 Active General] jt3:
Absolutely true. I actually gave up water resistance via a wireless-charging mod, until an official solution comes from Samsung. To me, water resistance is nice, but was far from the most important feature of the phone. Don't get me wrong, when an official wireless charging solution is released, and I can have both, I'll be giddy. Even then, though, you won't find my phone going for a swim (on purpose)... well... ever.

To be clear, Samsung has NEVER claimed the phone to anywhere near "water proof," and there's certainly no fault on their part (well, there is "aqua mode" for the camera, but otherwise...). Almost all of the complaints aren't with Samsung, but with AT&T. THEY'RE the ones that dared to call it "everything proof" and show commercials with shot after shot of it getting soaked or dunked, then dare to deny any warranty claims due to water damage.

AT&T's marketing set a certain level of expectation with this phone, and even if the number of people who have problems is more like 1 in 100, rather than 1 in 10, that's still going to be a huge number of people.
[Galaxy S 4 Active General] joshuadjohnson22:
same here, wireless charging is awesome :) I hope I don't come into contact with water but I never have with any one of my 20 + phones. Still a peace of mind to know you "may" survive such a fate. IMO "may" is a lot better than "wont". One thing is for sure if you have a regular S4 the chance of survival are slim, we have the upper hand(without the wireless mod of course).

Not to mention we get a beautiful LCD screen, and a more scratch resistant plastic coating. And hardware buttons that wont ruin any games ;)

Even though I spent hours in the pool, taking photos/videos and having everyone looking at me like I lost my mind, I don't think I will do it again. Even though it was AWESOME
[Galaxy S 4 Active General] seano666:
Well I'm still on the fence, I was just saying I thought the information was pretty useful and definitely will go in to making my decision.

I really do like the design differences and love the hard buttons on the front. I take great care of my phones and don't ever get them wet, so the water resistance is definitely not a determining factor.
[Galaxy S 4 Active General] crispy1805:
It is kinda ironic that my first water damaged phone is one that was advertised as "everything proof".

I've generally had good use with Samsung phones. This is highly disappointing. And AT&T is simply dying for a lawsuit with this one. A different level of liability should be held when the phone is advertised to do some of the things it can do. There are bound to be defects, and that should not be left completely on the user because it is "water damage".

My phone has been sitting in rice now for several days and still has water in it. Whatever designing that keeps it out also keeps it in.
[Galaxy S 4 Active General] orangpelupa:
the water resistant are weird. if its just sure 100% fine when on rain, then whats the big difference with normal phone?

normal phone works fine in the middle of rain. Especially those that still use resistive screen.

btw sony waterproof phone warranty also exclude water damage.
[Galaxy S 4 Active General] jesi:
Is this water damage = no warranty, AT&T case or by Samsung?

I got my sgs4a swapped here in Finland with no problems, and my phone had pretty good water damage...
[Galaxy S 4 Active General] joshuadjohnson22:
Both AT&T and Samsung has a claim in their warranties saying that water damage is not covered.
[Galaxy S 4 Active General] schizo:
Wow. I'm an XZ user and I must say that this might be blown out over the proportions. So far I have used mine, everywhere, in rains, in tubs, in showers, in pools, even snorkeling last month in a heavenly island. This XZ do rocks. Some may see the flaps are as quite flimsy (compared to the more solid ones I've experienced during my AcroS time, I also look at it that way) but looks may deceit and boy it does. The flaps are just perfectly fine, even when I crash dive into the water with the phone in my hand, no problems.

I don't know about S4A since it is yet to enter our market yet. But I'd rather suspect more to some of people may have imperfect battery door. It is of flexible type and from my experience with S2 and Notes, if you detach them more too frequent, or bit harshly, it may bent or nudged a bit. Which couldn't be seen until you zoom your eyes along the cover border.

Or you may have defect units, or defect USB flaps.

Only my 2 cents, still.
[Galaxy S 4 Active General] crispy1805:
Im pretty sure it's a defective back cover/seal around the camera. I made sure it was sealed like they shown on the label.
[Galaxy S 4 Active General] decepticon:
This isn't really new, as an employee you can check CSP. Since the day it was launched, it has stated that water damage would not be covered under warranty.

It is the same policy as the Rugby, Rugby 2, Rugby 3, Rugby Smart, Rugb.....never mind you see where I'm going with this.

I just hope your name is a Pineapple Express reference and not your real name because now that this has been posted on blogs, you can expect to get a visit from some guys up in Atlanta. (Yeah their social media policy is ****ed up)
[Galaxy S 4 Active General] jesi:
Maybe i try again to film under water :D
[Galaxy S 4 Active General] chimmani:
thought of buying it, thanks for the info
[Galaxy S 4 Active General] crispy1805:
Don't get me wrong, it is a nice phone. I actually prefer the physical buttons and the more rugged design in comparison to the original S4. Just leave the water-resistance to chance, despite AT&T's advertising claims.

After enough haggling, they have decided to replace it. My replacement is in the mail now. This could have easily been a very expensive, three week old brick. And AT&T was highly resistant to doing anything about it.
[Galaxy S 4 Active General] Nick James:
I dont care that it is water proof- I like the damn buttons too!
[Galaxy S 4 Active General] HORiZUN:
Swapped mine out a few days ago. Couldn't be any happier. I had some strange effects after getting the Active wet, as well. The only feature I missed was the volume rocker flashlight, but Xposed framework makes that possible. I forgot all about the Active - and it's LACK of cases.
[Galaxy S 4 Active General] maidn:
Hey Guys,

i asked Samsung, and they say:

If the S4 Active has a water damage because of a production issue, then it will be a warrenty!

For anything else...... no warrenty.

And for no, iam lucky with my S4 Active ==>

Samsung Galaxy S4 Active - Water Test1 - YouTube

Samsung Galaxy S4 Active - Water Test2 - YouTube

Samsung Galaxy S4 Active - Water Test3 - YouTube
[Galaxy S 4 Active General] colts187:
I think it has more to do with actually submerging the phone than contact with water. The longer its submerged the higher risk of damage u have. Any production flaws won't be apparent until u submerge it. At&t stores need to have a fish tank that u can try it out on before u leave the store with it.
[Galaxy S 4 Active General] ripper4209:
Zedomax YouTube channel had a video of him shooting video in 9 ft yes 9ft of water with no problems. Getting out of water and jumping back in. Starting in shallow end and working to the deep with no leaks.
[Galaxy S 4 Active General] joshuadjohnson22:
Yeah, most Active phones are sealed perfect. Just every once in a while you will find a defect.
[Galaxy S 4 Active General] crispy1805:
"Dunking your phone in three feet of water might sound crazy, but with the Galaxy S4 Active, it’s something Samsung actively encourages.

So why doesn’t Samsung’s warranty for the device cover water damage?

Early owners of Samsung’s durable device are finding that, just because Samsung says the phone can survive a dip in a fish tank, that doesn’t mean the company is responsible for any potential damage resulting from the plunge."

Read more at http://venturebeat.com/2013/07/29/samsung-galaxy-s4-active-water-damage/
[Galaxy S 4 Active General] nbell13:
*cough* Sony Xperia Z *cough*
[Galaxy S 4 Active General] joshuadjohnson22:
Good news for active users! http://www.engadget.com/2013/08/06/...reportedly-exchange-that-water-damaged-galax/
[Galaxy S 4 Active General] AutoUnion:
^ Well done Samsung and AT&T (if its true)
[Galaxy S 4 Active General] jt3:
No kidding! Although, I gotta say, it's like AT&T is saying, "Everything Proof... well... once, anyway."

Still, It's definitely better than what we had before (again, assuming it's true). Now, just release an OEM wireless charging back, and my day will be complete!
[Galaxy S 4 Active General] BrianAllred:
Buying a phone to use as a waterproof camera just seems silly. They make actual waterproof cameras. I want the S4 Active for the added protection and stress reduction, but I'm not going to go dunking my phone into pools on purpose.
[Galaxy S 4 Active General] Kyuta Syuko:
Well you have those people who will have their phone in their swim trunk's pocket then decide to go for a dip forgetting the phone's in the pocket. Which wouldn't be a problem if you have a good Active.
[Galaxy S 4 Active General] robstunner:
I just got another S4 Active yesterday, and I mentioned the fact that I read online that AT&T is going to replace water damaged Actives. The rep said, "yep, but only once." Good enough for me. I got it for swappable battery and LCD, Splash-proof is as much water I want it to see anyway.
[Galaxy S 4 Active General] solaris2k:
I'm about to upgrade one of my lines to this phone. I'm on the fence though about the water resistance. The phone it's replacing fell in the sink while doing dishes lol. There should seriously be a design revision made or something to make them stand up to water better. Even on Samsung's own website they encourage use of the phone while submerged in water and they included a setting that turns the damn thing into a underwater camera and they provide how-to guides on using these features. One replacement is better than nothing but they still continue to encourage people to use this feature on their website so it should be covered 100% every time it fails. We won't be purposely dunking the phone in water anytime soon it just seems like a great additional feature to a phone with lovely specs and I like the overall design a whole lot more than the regular S4.

Samsung's S4 Active support page here http://www.samsung.com/us/support/owners/product/SGH-I537ZAAATT
[Galaxy S 4 Active General] robstunner:
unfortunately there are people out there who would take advantage of that warranty replacement all the time. I can understand only 1 replacement, because I can see people going well below 3ft to take photos and then claim it was a defect. I remember buying a pair of Pumas a while ago and they had this try it or return it program, where you could wear the shoes for like 60 days and if you dont like them just return them for another pair. Needless to say, they stopped doing that because people would abuse the program and just keep exchanging for new shoes, claiming the old ones werent up to par.
[Galaxy S 4 Active General] solaris2k:
True that it's hard to differentiate and that sucks. Luckily our experiences with phones finding themselves in watery situations have been a few years apart so the updated warranty should be okay I guess. :fingers-crossed:
[Galaxy S 4 Active General] kermanp:
I'd say that 10% of all units defective, is way too high fail% :D

All in all, I'd say that S4A is a good addition to sammy's pallette (if they'd just fix that fail%):cool:.
[Galaxy S 4 Active General] Gorgenapper:
Exactly the same reasons why I bought one - swappable battery, LCD panel instead of AMOLED. In addition to expandable micro SD slot, Android OS, 5" screen. I'll treat the phone like I do any expensive electrical device - it stays away from water, no matter what IP rating it has. Samsung's method of waterproofing the phone seems kind of flimsy anyway.

Also: Oxford White ST?
[Galaxy S 4 Active General] robstunner:
Tuxedo black :)

I agree, there's too much hate for the active. LCD is great outside, no ghosting when scrolling at all and the build feels nicer in hand. Oh, and to top it all off? If this goes in the water and IF it breaks down: att has a replacement waiting for me, which currently can't be said for any other of their phones.
[Galaxy S 4 Active General] Gorgenapper:
For me, the brightness of LCD is a plus, as is the no ghosting thing, and also for avoiding AMOLED screen burn in. However, colour accuracy was probably the #1 reason why I wanted LCD, I just can't stand it when the colours are all slightly yellow or green due to AMOLED's green pixels. The longevity of AMOLED is also a concern.
[Galaxy S 4 Active General] robstunner:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQ6nls8QTo0

check that review and how negative she is.
[Galaxy S 4 Active General] IceCougar:
So I guess the Xperia Z is a much better water-resistant phone than this.
[Galaxy S 4 Active General] Presott Hamish:
I never put my S4 in water, that's insane!!
[Galaxy S 4 Active General] Claribelsmith:
this is really a heart breaking news for the Samsung S 4 users.. but thanks to you as you have raised a god point here by awaking many of the drawback out of the phone ..
[Galaxy S 4 Active General] jt3:
AT&T screwed up with the way they marketed this phone. It was never really designed to be water PROOF, merely water resistant (okay, so maybe Aqua Mode wasn't a good idea either, so Samsung isn't entirely blameless here).

The reality is that if you need a phone that's truly water proof, you should check the warranty details before you buy. My wife has a Sonim phone that's warranted for 3 years, and that includes any type of damage -- water, accidental drop off a 30-story building, monster truck mishap, you name it. It's not a smart phone, but hey... sometimes you have to decide what's really important to you.

Buy this phone for the ability to see it in bright sunlight, for the accurate color reproduction (although RGB AMOLEDs are good too, it's just that Samsung insists on using Pentile AMOLEDs), for the physical buttons, or any of the other highly subjective reasons that make you choose one phone over another. Everyone is unique, and has different preferences. Heck, one of the reasons I chose the Active is because practically every non-iPhone user I know has an S4. I liked the S4, but I tend to steer well clear of bandwagons.

In short... find a phone that appeals to you, and go for it. Just be realistic about its capabilities. The S4A is not your swimming buddy. Once you realize that, it's much easier to see its other attributes, good or bad.
[Galaxy S 4 Active General] buljo:
i am now on my 2nd S4A. first phone i took with me in the bathtub so i could take some fun pics with the kids.. did not get any water under the battery door. but both cameras fogged up due to water intrusion.

got it delivered on a DOA to the shop i bought it from.. scary as the warranty doesnt cover water damages.
[Galaxy S 4 Active General] solaris2k:
Z users are having their own issues too. It seems to be luck of the draw with these phones. :(
[Galaxy S 4 Active General] ledocbio:
I think we need to file a class action before this gets old... If it can die in 10cm, or can die in the chance rain we bought it for

---------- Post added at 04:42 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:26 PM ----------

Anyone else seeing a lot of their apps crash? My nfs crashed my phone
[Galaxy S 4 Active General] blackhand1001:
Its water resistant not water proof. Stop taking it in showers or going swimming with it.
[Galaxy S 4 Active General] wamsille:
Before you chime in with reistant versus proof, go into an AT&T store and pull up a unit on display and watch the demonstration video where Aqua mode is proudly on display. Underwater no less!

Samsung released a product to market that, in theory, should be capable of the features they promote most heavily. Due to a design defect the phone gets damaged even with the utmost care. AT&T will replace it once, more if you force the issue. You are better off buying the phone if you like the design versus for the water resistance because clearly it is more of a hit or miss benefit. The only guarantees in life are death and taxes.
[Galaxy S 4 Active General] ledocbio:
Awesome
[Galaxy S 4 Active General] :
Radio Shack employee here and I use my personal Active as a water demo daily and ive yet to have an issue. Seems to be a YMMV sort of deal. Ive received no formal training either.
[Galaxy S 4 Active General] pyro254750:
There's a lot of misinformation flying around about this device. People keep saying is not designed to be water proof which is absurd. It is most definitely designed to be water proof. It is also marketed to be water proof. Anyone who says otherwise needs to take a close look at the ip67 standard.

Think about when waterproof watches first came out. Half of them leaked. Now they are everywhere and never leak. Things will get better with time. Part of being on the cutting edge of technology is more inconsistency. I can't say I'm happy with Samsung choice to only replace the device once for failing to do what is designed to do, but I can't say I'm surprised either. This is exactly why I purchased the device where I could get insurance that covers water damage.
[Galaxy S 4 Active General] wamsille:
Standards aside, all AT&T and Samsung are going to tell you is that it is resistant to water intrusion up to a specific depth for a finite period of time. The good folks at AT&T reminded me that there are cases available which can emulate this same "feature" if I decided to get them to continue using the Active in the very conditions it is rated to handle sans a case.

There is always some technicality companies can use to wiggle their way out of a warranty, but the proof is in the fogged camera lenses and moisture triggered indicators on the batteries and phones of Active owners. We may never get an actual percentage of failures in the field from AT&T or Samsung, but the mere fact AT&T made a PR move of granting a water damage replacement (one-time) because of issues means that there is an issue and reason enough to make an exception to their general warranty / exchange policy. Companies don't do that just out of the goodness of their own heart.
[Galaxy S 4 Active General] Vieuxdats:
thanks a lot man !
[Galaxy S 4 Active General] pinsb:
In the UK these will just get bounced back to the seller under the "fit for purpose" legislation.

A judge would pee him/her self laughing if Sammie claimed it wasn't waterproofed while claiming IP67 and having marketing ads showing it taking underwater photo's.....ohhh the fun we have in court some days!
[Galaxy S 4 Active General] Mitsuoka123:
Hello,

here are my two cents...

I'm Samsung Mobiler so I have this device for some time and because I got it by DHL I haven't had any proper Samsung training for this device. I was on guard and I was securing USB and battery cover two times before going into water.

It was in sea water, river, under waterhose.... It was even 2m underwater, I was swimming for more than hour and even played picigin with friends. It went through that really well.

Because of this thread I was aware of issues and I would check it after every water experience and USB cover was working really really well (not even a sprinkle) and battery cover was thight while keeping water away. Water was there but not even close to rubber protection.

While filming I'm not using Aqua mode. No AF is a minus for that mode and I somehow managed to keep away from water drop zooming. :victory:

Here is some video footage, there are even some cool fishes around :highfive:

[YOUTUBE]zNUzFTE7zvo[/YOUTUBE]
[Galaxy S 4 Active General] cfchong:
no tax for citizens of saudi and brunei :D

death is guarantee though :p
[Galaxy S 4 Active General] wamsille:
OK, taxes vary by geographical region. Death is certain, as is water damage on the S4 Active when used underwater regardless of the precautions taken.
[Galaxy S 4 Active General] faiza2:
:good:A good informative and best ideas get to this post. Nice sharing buddy.
[Galaxy S 4 Active General] sci0ent:
Hi. Just got AT&T to do a warranty on my s3 would not recognize sd card. They gave me the S4 active and your right I would not trust the flimsy rubber seals either. I got an Otter Box Defender case just to make sure I don't mess it up. It has a plug to cover the head phone jack which the phone should of been built with but nothing for the micro usb port.

At least the gave me the phone and I also was allowed to keep the S3. I m debating on playing with designing new applications that will make the phone easier to use with less drain on the battery and won't slow the phone down.

---------- Post added at 01:21 AM ---------- Previous post was at 01:15 AM ----------

Hi. Just got AT&T to do a warranty on my s3 would not recognize sd card. They gave me the S4 active and your right I would not trust the flimsy rubber seals either. I got an Otter Box Defender case just to make sure I don't mess it up. It has a plug to cover the head phone jack which the phone should of been built with but nothing for the micro usb port.

At least the gave me the phone and I also was allowed to keep the S3. I m debating on playing with designing new applications that will make the phone easier to use with less drain on the battery and won't slow the phone down.
[Galaxy S 4 Active General] ohwarumbloss:
First when I read OP I got nervous but after reading 10 pages, I am happy with my active, again.

It's been sold to me as a 100% waterproof mobile, but hey, it takes two sites, one who is pretending and one who wants to believe.

Now, I hope to make it trough the next 23 months of my contract without trouble...

'nuff said.
[Galaxy S 4 Active General] Miami_Son:
Like anything you buy today, some will have a good experience with the product, some bad. For me, I'm a believer. Not only should I have lost my phone forever considering the circumstances, but after being in the ocean for over 40 minutes and beyond 3 feet of depth it should not be working. Thankfully, it still is. Read about it here.

http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2510961
[Galaxy S 4 Active General] amortar:
not rugged

Active should be water resistant, at least until the seals wear off or the cover breaks. Mine was washed several times in tap water with soap and did some uderwater pool pictures as well - no damage.

Impact resistance is another story however. This phone is not rugged at all and cannot take any harsh handling. After few drops from pocket on the ground it started to experience reboots and no call audio. Warranty was denied beacuse of excessive mechanical strain and service quoted 460€ for repair - almost same as new one. The thin "metal" frame with screws of Active started to sheathe very soon and looks it's some soft material. Expected it to withstand much more.

Well, this is my 2nd similar experience with their service. I'll never buy Samsung again.

.
[Galaxy S 4 Active General] dibeachdude:
Samsung never said anything about resistance to anything other than water. Sorry to hear about the large repair bill, but chances are that the same thing might have happened with most newer phones. Consumers want small phones with large displays and an ever increasing number of features. If you open up the cases, you will see that every bit of space is used. So when a phone is dropped, there is no space to absorb the impact. The shock is transferred to the next component (LCD, pcb, etc.). That is why a case it's so important.

I used to use OtterBox cases, but since the Active is water resistant, I could use a smaller case that doesn't get stuck in my pocket. I still would not consider using any phone without a case. Everyone I know that does that had a phone with crushed corners and/or a broken display.