Sony (SONY 1.81%) today introduced the Xperia ZR, a dust-resistant and waterproof Android smartphone that is one of only a handful of waterproof Android phones. It can be submerged in up to 1.5 meters of fresh water (as in, not salt water) for up to 30 minutes.

The Xperia ZR received a waterproof rating by being IP55 and IP58 compliant, which means the phone has been independently tested and passed for protection against water jet spray and against full fresh water submersion. According to Sony, the Xperia ZR has "the highest level of water-resistance for capturing photos and Full HD videos underwater."

Sony will roll out the Xperia ZR globally in Q2 2013, although not all markets will have the same launch time. Pricing for the phone has not yet been set.

The phone's specs include:

  • 4.6-inch HD Reality display.
  • An anti-shatter film on the display.
  • 13-megapixel camera.
  • Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro quad-core 1.5 GHz processor.
  • 4G LTE.
  • Dust-resistant.
  • Near-field communication (NFC).

Calum MacDougall, director of Xperia marketing at Sony Mobile Communications, was quoted as saying, "The Xperia ZR pushes the boundaries on where and how consumers can use the full potential of their smartphone. By combining Sony's leading camera technology with the highest level of water-resistance, you will never miss another moment."