Ahead of IFA 2014, Sony has announced a new smartphone in the form of the Xperia M2 Aqua which is exclusive to Vodafone.
The device is a new version of the existing Xperia M but as the name suggests, the M2 Aqua is more than happy to be plunged into the pool or placed under a running tap. Sony is making its waterproof design available at a mid-range price point for the first time so you don't need to splash out (excuse the pun) on a high-end Xperia Z handset any longer.
Although Sony says the Xperia M2 Aqua will provide premium features at an 'affordable price-point', there is no official price information yet. The Xperia M2 costs £229 so we expect the M2 Aqua to be a little more, perhaps £249.
The Xperia M2 will be available this autumn in either black or white colours. It has the highest waterproof rating at IP65/68.
"Xperia M2 Aqua is a significant milestone in our product portfolio as we bring yet another of our signature technologies to a new category of smartphones," says Calum MacDougall, director of Xperia marketing at Sony Mobile.
With waterproofing making its way to mid-range phones, we expect that other features will trickle down the line. With many budget smartphone on the market now touting 4G connectivity, we expect Sony to follow suit.
The firm is expected to be launching a number of new devices at IFA 2014 in Berlin including the Xperia Z3, SmartWatch 3 and Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact.
