Sony’s Xperia M2 Aqua is an underwater photographer’s wet dream

By Andy Boxall August 19, 2014

Sony has announced the Xperia M2 Aqua, a revised version of the original Xperia M2, which was launched at Mobile World Congress earlier this year. The phone shares many of the same features, but adds what Sony says is “the highest level of waterproofing available in any smartphone.” It demonstrates just how water tight the little phone is in a promo video, where the M2 Aqua is used to shoot video underwater.

Despite the excellent IP65/68 certification, the Xperia M2 Aqua is a mid-range smartphone, meaning the tech will be more affordable than if it was attached to a flagship phone. The screen measures 4.8-inches and has a 960 x 540 pixel resolution, which matches the original Xperia M2, while the processor is the latest 1.2GHz Snapdragon 400 chip.

Related: Here’s our pick of the best water resistant phones currently available

There’s 1GB of RAM on hand to help the processor get things done, but owners will only have 8GB of internal memory to fill. Luckily, there is a MicroSD slot to increase this, which will take cards up to 32GB in size. Android 4.4 KitKat is loaded, along with Sony’s own user interface, and the phone has 4G LTE connectivity. Sony also mentions the Xperia M2 Aqua is compatible with its Smartband wristband, and has NFC for a quick connection.

Related: Read our review of the Sony Smartband lifelogging wristband here

If you’re looking forward to taking pictures in the sea, pool, or even the bath (just don’t send those ones to us), the Xperia M2 Aqua’s camera has 8 megapixels, uses Sony’s Exmor RS sensor, and can record 1080p video. The selfie cam isn’t quite so good, and only manages 1.1-megapixel stills, and VGA quality video recording.

Water resistant phones are becoming increasingly popular, and a reasonably priced model with a cool design could be very successful. We’re still waiting to hear how much the Xperia M2 Aqua will cost, but we do know it’ll be going on sale during the final few months of 2014, and is set to launch in Europe, Asia, and Latin America. North American fans, as usual with Sony’s smartphones, will have to wait and see.

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Andy is a Senior Writer at Digital Trends, where he concentrates on mobile technology, a subject he has written about for…

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