First washable smartphone to hit market

New smartphone can be washed in soap and water. [Photo/AFP]

Tired of those unsightly smudges and other dirt on your bacteria-laden smartphone?

A Japanese company says it has the solution with what it describes as 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 - to be launched in Japan next week - is the only one that can withstand a soapy bath. "Our development team washed the smartphone more than 700 times to test its durability," a company spokesman said.

An online commercial aimed at proving its credentials features a child dropping the phone onto a plate of food topped with ketchup.

His mother assures her shocked family that those red globs are nothing to worry about as she soaps up the phone under a running tap.

The 21,600 yen ($176) gadget is aimed at parents who want to keep their smartphones clean for their small children, a KDDI spokesman said.