Kyocera Launches Rafre “Washable” Phone As 2016 Profits Show 18 Percent Slump

A new smartphone on the market can now be washed free of surface dirt. Japanese company Kyocera has launched its latest Digno handset called Rafre. According to WIRED, the smartphone can even withstand in hot soapy water, which would probably be a plus for germophobes. It is also suggested that the smartphone’s waterproof feature could appeal handset owners who always bring their phones in the shower or bath.

Androidguys said this is not the first time Kyocera released a “washable” smartphone. The company also produced its first prototype back in December 2015. The difference with the second-generation Rafre, however, is that it also comes with a pre-installed cooking app for people who do not wish to touch their phones, but would like to check their emails, text message, or social media while cooking.

Other than the fact that the second-generation Rafre phone comes in cutesy Pale Pink, Clear White, and Light Blue colors, the specs aren’t that as impressive. The phone comes with a 5-inch display, Android 7.0 Nougat, a 3,000mAh battery, and a 13-megapixel camera. The units are only available in Japan and the KDDI network, PC Mag said.

The launch of the second-gen Rafre phone comes amid reports of the Kyoto-based company’s profits report, of which the company expects a group pretax profit fall 18% to 120 billion yen or USD1.06 billion) for the fiscal year ending March 2016. Nikkei said the company attributes the loss due to the local market’s waning smartphone demand and a stronger currency.