Xperia Sales Halted by Sony

Potential water damage has caused a halt in sales of Sony’s (not so) water-resistant Xperia tablet. It has been discovered that a limited number of devices do not meet their splash-proof standards: there is a small gap between the screen and the casing, where water can seep into the tablet. Sony is saying this is a flaw coming from the factory in China, where the Xperia has been manufactured.

The launch of Sony’s newest Android tablet was September 7th in the United States, quickly followed by launches in Japan and Europe. There have been 100,000 units shipped out by Sony and the company has stated it will repair any faulty devices that customers may have purchased. Despite this flaw in some of the tablets that have been distributed, they say they are not expecting the cost of the recall to affect their earnings.


Image via www.sony.com

One of the key selling points of the tablet was its “splash-proof” guard that would allow users to utilize their tablets with wet fingers and prevent any accidental exposure to water. Although the tablet is otherwise perfectly functional, the company warns, “As a precaution and to protect the product, we ask that customers not use Xperia Tablet S where water may splash onto it.”

Sony has named their new tablet and new smartphone Xperia, in hopes of creating a unity between their mobile devices. Entering the arena of tablet wars, Sony faces very stiff competition with market leaders Samsung and Apple.

 Although a product recall may not be the best way to make an impression launching a new product, Sony has, at least, made it clear that they are transparent and have their customers’ best interests in mind by making the public immediately aware of the defect and by offering to fix any of the tablets that have been affected.

Want to learn more about today’s powerful mobile Internet ecosystem? Don't miss the Mobility Tech Conference & Expo, collocated with ITEXPO Austin 2012 happening now in Austin, TX.  Stay in touch with everything happening at Mobility Tech Conference & Expo. Follow us on Twitter.