KDDI offers world's 1st smartphone that doesn't mind soap and water

For those who can't put their smartphones down even in the bathroom or at the dinner table, a new model will soon hit the market that can be cleaned with soap and water.KDDI Corp.'s Digno Rafre, the "world's first entirely washable" smartphone, will go on sale on Dec. 11.

Capable of withstanding soapsuds and water as hot as 43 degrees, the Digno Rafre was suggested by a KDDI employee who was concerned about her children's hygiene, as they often fiddled with their smartphones with dirty hands or put them in their mouths.

Produced by Kyocera Corp., a manufacturer with expertise in waterproof technology, the Digno Rafre is designed to prevent soap, which tends to seep into small spaces more than water, from entering inside. However, KDDI advises consumers to only use soap from foam dispensers.