The New Waterproof Kyocera Hydro Vibe Is Available Just In Time For Mother's Day, Father’s Day

A new device has arrived just in time for Mother's Day and Father’s Day from Sprint and Virgin Mobile. The all new Kyocera Hydro Vibe is a waterproof 4G LTE smartphone. Beginning Friday, May 9, Virgin Mobile will offer the Android™ device as well, without a contract, beginning May 27. The new smartphone aims to deliver customers a choice in how they pay for their devices and their monthly service plans to both Sprint and Virgin Mobile.

According to recent survey data from comScore, 55 percent of people with children say they are “very likely” to purchase a waterproof phone – and for good reason. “The demand for waterproof smartphones has only increased since Kyocera introduced the original Hydro in the U.S. in 2012,” said David Owens, senior vice president-Product, Sprint. “Hydro Vibe is the third generation of waterproof Kyocera devices Sprint has brought to our prepaid and postpaid customers. Vibe eliminates the worries of liquid damage during a day at the beach or a day on the job without having to invest in a waterproof case or sacrificing the sleek style and functionality we expect from smartphones.” Parents have reported damaging phones twice as frequently as those without children.

“Kyocera is at forefront of waterproof technology for mobile devices, proving extra protection from life's accidents doesn't mean a smartphone has to be expensive and bulky," said Eric Anderson, senior vice president and general manager of global sales and marketing at Kyocera Communications Inc. "Hydro Vibe builds on the success of the original Kyocera Hydro and more than 40 Kyocera waterproof devices launched worldwide. It's a great gift idea for Mom or Dad or for anyone who wants some added protection from elements during spring showers or summer fun."

Kyocera Hydro Vibe boasts the following features:

• Android 4.3, Jelly Bean

• 4.5-inch qHD capacitive, impact-resistant touchscreen display

• 8-megapixel rear camera with LED flash and video camera; 2-megapixel front camera

• Near Field Communication (NFC)-capable for easy file sharing with other NFC-enabled devices

• Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ processor with 1.2GHz quad-core CPU

• Wireless charging (PMA)

• 2,000mAh battery for longer use on a single charge

• Kyocera’s proprietary Eco-Mode and MaxiMZR power-management apps

• 8GB of on-board memory, expandable to 32GB with microSD™

Kyocera Hydro Vibe is the newest addition to Kyocera's successful Hydro Series of waterproof Android smartphones, all of which can be completely submerged in up to one meter (3.28 feet) of water for up to 30 minutes. Built with affordable style and everyday protection in mind, Hydro Vibe features a thin bezel and Kyocera's award-winning Smart Sonic Receiver audio technology, allowing users to hear conversations more clearly in noisy environments like baseball games and loud restaurants.

Sprint Customers

With Sprint Easy Pay, well-qualified buyers can purchase Hydro Vibe for $0 down (plus tax) and 24 monthly payments of $9.59. The Sprint Family Plan lets customers decide who they consider family. The more people added to the group, up to 10 phone lines, the greater the savings for everyone on the plan. For one line of service, new Sprint customers pay $55 per month per line for unlimited talk, text and 1GB of data while on the Sprint network (excluding taxes and surcharges). For each additional new Sprint customer who joins the Family group, the cost per person goes down $5 a month up to a maximum monthly discount of $30 per line. For only $20 per month per line, Sprint Family Plan members can buy up to unlimited data while on the Sprint network, and they are eligible to get a new phone every year.

Virgin Mobile Customers

Kyocera Hydro Vibe will be available beginning Tuesday, May 27, on www.virginmobileusa.com for $149.99. All of Virgin Mobile’s smartphones can be paired with Virgin Mobile's Beyond Talk™ No-Contract plans with unlimited 3G data, and available 4G LTE data speeds for mobile phone service, including Android™-powered smartphones. Virgin Mobile Beyond Talk monthly unlimited data and messaging plans, which start at $35, are ideal for those smartphone users hungry for the most connectivity and the least amount of voice minutes.

Please visit kyocerasmartphones.com/hydro-vibe for more information.