Samsung in deep water over water resistant phone claims
Electronics giant Samsung are being taken to court for telling consumers that many of the four million Galaxy phones sold in Australia were water resistant while knowing they were not.
They have denied the claims made by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).
The ACCC said that it had commenced Federal Court proceedings against Samsung for misleading and deceiving customers with claims about various Galaxy phones across more than 300 advertisements since February 2016.
There were a variety of advertisements across social media, online, TV, billboards, brochures and other media that depicted the phones as being water resistant and showed them being used at pools and beaches.
The phones were also advertised as being water resistant up to 1.5 metres for 30 minutes.
“Samsung showed the Galaxy phones used in situations they shouldn’t be to attract customers,” ACCC Commissioner Rod Sims said on Thursday.
“Under the Australian Consumer Law, businesses cannot mislead consumers about their products’ capabilities.”
The ACCC have said that Samsung did not sufficiently test its phones to back the advertised claims and denied warranty claims from users who said their phones were damaged in water.
“Samsung itself has acknowledged that water resistance is an important factor influencing Australian consumer decisions when they choose what mobile phone to purchase,” Mr Sims said.
Samsung has issued a statement denying the allegations and saying that it “intends to defend the court proceedings brought by the ACCC.”
“Samsung stands by its marketing and advertising of the water resistancy of its smartphones,” the statement said.
“We are also confident that we provide customers with free-of-charge remedies in a manner consistent with Samsung’s obligations under its manufacturer warranty and the Australian Consumer Law.
“Customer satisfaction is a top priority for Samsung and we are committed to acting in the best interest of our customers.”