Innovation

World's first washable smartphone to debut in Japan

A Japanese firm says it has the solution with what it describes the world's first smartphone that can be washed with soap and water. Waterproof smartphones have been on the market for a while. But telecom company KDDI says its new "Digno rafre" phone is the only one that can withstand a soapy bath. The 21,600 yen ($175) gadget is mainly aimed at parents who want to keep their smartphones clean for their small children. But he also cautioned that only certain types of foamy soap could be used on the device, which will only be sold in Japan for now.