Washable smartphone? Kyocera releases 'Digno Rafre' for Japan [price, review, specs]

"Digno Rafre" is the world's first washable smartphone by the Japanese company Kyocera.

Germophobes and clean freaks alike will rejoice with this "soap-proof" smartphone from Kyocera, according to PC Mag. The new device Digno Rafre can be completely washed, so there are no worries if you put it in the sink and scrub it with soap. However, soap for this phone only applies to foam-type suds and not any other soap types including bars and liquid.

Daily Mail reports that our smartphones are home to millions of microbes, viruses and bacteria including the dangerous Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus mycoides. The outlet cited a study that found smartphones to have 10 times more bacteria and having more fecal matter than a toilet seat.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the company's soap-proof technology allows users to thoroughly clean their smartphones. They won't have to worry about getting rid of gunk and stains when their phone is exposed in different environments. Kyocera states that the smartphone is ideal for use in the kitchen, outdoors and even the bath. The Rafre may also be geared towards households with children as seen in their commercial.

You can watch the commercial below:

According to The Verge, the Rafre stands at 5 inches with a 10.1mm thickness frame and weighs around 155 grams. It also has a 720p display with a 3,000mAh battery with a 13-megapixel camera.

The Rafre has 2 GB RAM with 16 GB internal storage that can be extendable up to 128 GB through a microSD card. It accepts a regular sim and can support Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and 4G. It also has several sensors including Accelerometer, Gyroscope and Proximity sensor, according to Gadgets 360.

One special feature in the Rafre is its Smart Sonic Receiver or "bone conduction speaker." PC World states that this feature allows users to able to take calls easily because it allows them to hear the caller better.

"When the phone is held to the side of the user's head, vibrations created in the phone travel along bone and cartilage into their ear," the website states. "The result is a sound that's as clear if not clearer than that from a speaker. The technology has advantages especially in noisy environments."

The Digno Rafre is available through the Japanese mobile carrier KDDI Corp. It will retail at about ¥57,000 ($460) next week and will only be available in Japan.