Z3 terrible phone with bad design faults.

[samuelcarringto]

Hi, my names Sam and I'm an artist. I got a Sony z1 on contract a few years ago as it had the best camera and was also pitched as an adventurers phone so was waterproof! and I was extreampy happy with it. It worked beautifully and was very responsive, it took many many drops and bangs and trips underwater. After a couple of years of good use it went underwater then I forgot to clear the headphone jack plug and inserting my headphones pushed water into the phone and killed it, my own stupid fault! Having been so pleased with my z1 in the way it was so responsive and robust and also liking Sony in general ( TV car sterio etc) I decided on buying a z3......... What a terrible mistake.
The first z3 I was given the screen was extreamly slow and glitchy and the speaker phone was actually broken! After a week with this terrible price of rubbish I phoned Sony and the told me to go swop it at point of purchase. A 30 mile drive and just under four hours later I had a replacement z3. This was almost as bad as the first one, speakerphone was barley audible for me or the reciver of the call and the screen was so unresponsive and constantly sticking that it drives me crazy, it's like using a first generation touch screen phone, it's truly terrible.
On top of this about two weeks after I got the phone it fell from about 10" onto the floor so softly it didn't even mark the phone, ( I had dropped my z1 many hundreds of times) I inspected the phone and it looked totally fine, so thought nothing more of it. Later that day I washed my phone and put it on side, I then noticed the vibrate going off randomly and the screen started flickering and I new instantly it had water in it!! I whipped the back off and sure enough full of water. Luckily it came in at other end to mother bored so I saved the phone which I am writing to you on now.
This happend because Sony have changed the design of the frame in this series of phone from solid aluminium to plastic with metal covers, and this new design means that any tiny nock to the sides will let water in and kill the phone, obviously saving Sony money and selling more replacements. I always liked and trusted Sony but looking at the inside of this z3 in comparison to the z1 I feel I have been completely ripped off and sold a totally inferior product that isn't fit for purpose as it's not waterproof in the real world. If Sony had sold the phone saying 'waterproof until the first time you give it the slightest little knock ' I would never have got the z3 I would have paid £200 less for basically the same model that's not waterproof, and that's not even considering the problems with screen and speaker phone! All in I feel I have been totally ripped off buty Sony on this z3, it is an inferior badly designed product that is not fit for purpose and it had put my faith in Sony in general into question. I thought you were a reputable company that made quality products? Anyone else had problems?

[BandOfBrothers]

Hi @samuelcarringto

Ive had the z1 too and loved it as it was a well built feature rich handset. 

When a phone is dropped this can as you'll be aware cause either aesthetic damage or internal damage due to the height and different angles they can hit the floor or other surface. 

I understand what your saying about waterproofing but if I had accidentally dropped my previous z1 which as waterproofing as a spec it's something I would personally like to check as best as I could as the drop could have broken seals on the phone. 

Have you had any feedback from Sony ?

Its possible if they stick to their guns because you have accidentally dropped the phone that maybe House Insurance or some Bank Accounts give mobile cover will be if some assistance. T&C and Excess fee's would apply. 

[samuelcarringto]

You missed the point or didn't read properly, I dropped my z1 hundreds of times and it was fine. I dropped the z3 once and it was broken forever!!!! Massive difference that had caused this is Sony have changed from a solid aluminium frame to a lactic one saving themselves millions no doubt but also making the phones waterproof properties very venerable and obviously if a so called waterproof fone is venerable to water it's venerable to total failure isn't it. And that's not even considering the fact the speaker phone and screen haven't worked properly since the day I bought it.!! Sony have put profits before function and durability and sold me a product which isn't fit for the purpose it's advertised for.

[samuelcarringto]

And also like I said I checked the hone after I dropped it and it didn't even have a mark on it nevermind seeing a place where water could get in, it was impossible to see where the water was getting in until I took the back off.

[BandOfBrothers]

Hi

Ive have not missed the point your making I assure you 

I've seen lots of drop tests both through YouTube Videos and through personal experiences and each one can chase different outcomes.  Of course phones are not meant to be dropped but accidents happen. But with every action there will be sometimes a reaction ie Damage internally or externally. This is one of the reasons why I opt to use a case for my phones. 

If the phone was not performing properly since day 1 as stated if this was my phone I would have returned it to be swapped out within any relevant cooling off period. 

I do understand your stance on your thoughts on this. I asked in my previous reply - Have you contacted Sony and have they replied to you. 

[63johnw]

 Anyone else had problems?

---

Hi @samuelcarringto I have had a Z3 since launch day and have had none of the problems you mention, no lag on screen, never submerged under water mind but been in heavy rain and no problems, dropped a few times now (scars on phone to prove it) and its still working fine for me.

[samuelcarringto]

What exactly would I say to Sony? ' you have changed the design from the z1 to save your self millions and in the process made this so called waterproof phone extreamly susceptible to water ingress in the real world and I wish I had never bought it?'?????
Also I had already swopped one brand new broken z3 at a cost of 30 mile round trip and four hours of my time, why should I have to spend another 4 hours and 30 miles of petrol to get a third brand new phone??? Just cos Sony seem to be making inferior products these days that arnt fit for purpose??? The design of the z3 and z5 is terrible in respects of the durability of the waterproofing and so I don't consider this fit for purpose. If they sold it saying "waterproof until you knock it the first time" how many people like me wold not buy the thing.

[hrym]

You can get away with quite heavy drops many times and then, suddenly, a minor one causes damage.   It often comes down the the angle the device hits the floor and how the stresses are transmitted to the screen.  Sadly. :smileysad:

[samuelcarringto]

Why are you talking about the screen? The screen is fine? It's the fact this waterproof fone isn't really fully waterproof is it? It's waterproof until the first time you knock it and Sony should state that upfront really shouldn't they

[63johnw]

I think what @hrym is getting at is the screen is part of the structure of the phone and can transmit stresses to other parts of the phone causing problems.

Your main gripe seems to be with Sony, have you posted on the Sony forum for help or advice?