10 years ago was, arguably, the beginning of the smartphone golden era. 2013 played host to the Samsung Galaxy S4, one of the best-selling Android phones of all time, the HTC One M7, the LG G2, and others. But kickstarting that tremendous year was the Sony Xperia Z, which launched on February 9, 2013 in Japan.
The Xperia Z’s claim to fame was as the first flagship smartphone with an IP55 and IP57 dust and water resistance rating. That said, the Xperia Z wasn’t the first waterproof Android phone. The Motorola Defy had already offered an IP68 rating back in 2010, and other non-Android devices had previously dabbled in weather resistance. But if you wanted a powerhouse, waterproof, flagship smartphone, you weren’t going to find one from Apple or Samsung back then. The prospect of being able to take photos underwater certainly turned some heads.
