If you sense your Samsung Galaxy S7 might need a power boost sooner rather than later, you might not want to go taking underwater photos first.
The newly-announced Galaxy S7 has a safeguard that prevents charging when it detects moisture, as noticed by posters on the XDA Developers forum (via Slashgear)
“Moisture detected in charging port,” reads the error message when one poster attempted to charge the device shortly after submersion.
Although the phone itself is certified as IP68 water resistant and is marketed as such, the charging port itself remains exposed to water.
So, hooking up to the port while moisture is present could short out the phone or lead to a nasty shock.
Hence the perfectly logical safeguard.
See also: Samsung Galaxy S7 vs Galaxy S6: Should you upgrade
The issue of water resistance for the Galaxy S7 remains somewhat of a grey area.
While Samsung itself has explained the IP68 certification offers protection for 30 minutes in 1.5m of water, the user guide also recommends caution.
The phone’s user guide states: “
Also on the XDA forums, users have encountered the same error message when using cheap 3rd part charging cables.
Samsung itself also advises users to stick with Samsung approved charging accessories.
(apester:56ca1e508f0287d70a577cb1)
The Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge will go on sale on March 11 following the launch last month at MWC 2016.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.