The Samsung Galaxy S4 Active, in a nutshell, is a Galaxy S4 that can survive being dropped in the toilet, in the sink, in a swimming pool, or any other body of water. According to the Korean publication ET News, the world’s leading handset maker has been floored by the success of the GS4 Active, so much so that they’re actively looking into launching variants of the Note 3 and upcoming GS5 that will have the same rugged and waterproof abilities.

Now pardon my ignorance, but why can’t Samsung just pull a Sony and make all their phones waterproof? Every Sony flagship for the past two years so, at least the ones that I can think of, has been waterproof thanks to the use of flaps and specific nano-coatings. There’s no need for Sony to make variants of their devices that can withstand abuse because their devices were designed with sadomasochism in mind from their very inception.

Should consumers have to deal with the added bulk that waterproofing and ruggedizing a phone adds? I’m going to have to vote yes. Phones used to feel like substantial and heavy objects that exuded feelings of confidence and dependability. These days, they feel like dainty little toys that will break if they happen to slip out of your hands.

Let’s step into a time machine and go back to the good old days.