Water-Resistant Claims for TicWatch Pro 5

In ads for its TicWatch Pro 5 smartwatch, Mobvoi shows the device fully submerged in various liquids. The Chinese consumer electronics company claims that the smartwatch has been tested to withstand a variety of “environmental stresses,” including rain and ice, and can be taken “anywhere, with full water resistance.”

Anywhere but the shower.

A few months after purchasing the smartwatch, a TINA.org reader started having battery issues. He would go to bed with the watch fully charged only to wake up with it dead in the morning. He contacted Mobvoi for a replacement thinking it would be covered under warranty. He received this surprising response:

I am sorry to hear that your watch doesn’t work normally. Could you please let me know if you’ve worn your watch when taking a shower or bath prior to your watch problem occurred?

As it turns out, he had, but only because the smartwatch had been advertised on the company’s website as water resistant and suitable for open water swimming. He wrote back:

How is the watch designed to be fully submerged in water but not be used in the shower?

The company responded that the watch isn’t suitable for showering because it cannot resist high-speed or hot water, and chemicals in shampoo may also cause damage. Mobvoi informed our reader that because the damage was “man made,” it wasn’t covered under warranty.

Mobvoi lists a number of “exclusions” in its one-year limited warranty including “damage caused by operating the Product(s) outside the permitted or intended uses described by Mobvoi.” And the company states in an FAQ that the watch is not suitable for showering, among other activities.

The problem is both of these disclosures are inconspicuously linked or placed in areas of the website that many consumers may not see. In other words, unlike the smartwatch’s features, which are prominently advertised throughout Mobvoi’s website and include “Water Resistant” and “Open Water Swim Suitable,” consumers need to dig a bit to get this valuable information.

TINA.org reached out to Mobvoi for comment. Check back for updates.

Find more of our coverage on warranties here.