Samsung has unveiled a new “outdoor smartphone” designed to survive in “harsh environments”.
The new phone is called the Samsung Galaxy XCover 4, and is intended to be tough and reliable – think Ray Mears in handset form. To that end, the phone comes with IP68 water-proofing and dust-proofing, and is certified to the US military standard MIL-STD 810G for withstanding extreme temperatures, mechanical shocks and vibrations, and intense sunlight or salt-water mist.
“It was designed for harsh environments and is protected against water and dust, as well as extreme temperatures and impacts,” reads Samsung’s press release.
The display is also glove friendly because, as Samsung explains: “In many outdoor activities, it is not only practical, but necessary to wear gloves. With the Galaxy Cover 4, you can also take calls, write messages or use apps on the display with gloves. In addition, it can also be operated via the mechanical function keys.”
The Samsung Galaxy XCover 4 also features two “powerful” cameras (13-megapixels and 5-megapixels) and a HD display. All this will set you back €259 (~£225) in the single “black” colour option.
In all fairness, it’s good that Samsung is taking smartphone toughness seriously. In 2015, a Motorola survey found that 50% of phone owners globally have experienced a cracked screen at least once, with 21% of users having a cracked phone at any given time.
Related: Samsung Galaxy S8
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Do you think more phones should be designed with ruggedness in mind? Let us know in the comments.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.