Sony’s new Xperia ZR smartphone can record HD video underwater

Knowing there’s a lot of interest in waterproof smartphones, Sony has been coming out with devices that not only can survive an accidental drop in the toilet but actually be used underwater. It’s latest, the Xperia ZR, can even record HD video while submerged.

The Japanese tech company said the phone, unveiled Monday, can be nearly 5 feet underwater for up to 30 minutes. The device can go in only fresh water, so users can’t take it with them into the ocean where saltwater can corrode the phone.

Besides the phone’s pool capabilities, it also has other impressive specs. Sony said the Xperia ZR has a 4.6-inch 720p HD screen and a 13-megapixel camera. It also uses a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro quad-core 1.5GHz processor. As far as software, the device uses Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, which is a recent version of the Google mobile operating system.

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“By combining Sony’s leading camera technology with the highest level of water-resistance, you will never miss another moment,” said Calum MacDougall, Sony’s Mobile Communication’s director of Xperia marketing, in a statement.

Sony, which announced the phone online, did not say exactly when the smartphone will go on sale in the U.S., but the company said it will begin to sell in various markets worldwide some time in its second quarter, which lasts from July to September. However, the company did say the Xperia ZR will come in black, white, pink and mint colors.

Earlier this year, Sony also announced the Xperia Z, a smartphone similar to the new Xperia ZR. The one key difference between the two phones is that the new Xperia ZR is more water-resistant and the Xperia Z has a larger, 5-inch screen.

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