Construction giant Dewalt has entered the smartphone market with a tough Android-powered handset designed for building industry workers.
The $544 (about 1.8 million UGX) device is designed to survive a 2m drop on to concrete and can operate in temperatures ranging from -20C to 60C.
Rival firm Caterpillar has already established itself as a brand in the physically tougher smartphone sector.
“Lots of people in the trade and construction industries, as well as outdoor sports enthusiasts, have realized that just having a thicker case isn’t going to see them through,” said James Booker, purchasing manager at UK firm Tuffphones.
To be be certified as a “tough phone”, handsets have to undergo more rigorous physical tests, including being subjected to tumbling – turned over and over inside a device for long periods of time, Mr Booker explained.
They also have to be water and dust proof.
Because they are sturdier, they can also incorporate a bigger battery, he added – the Dewalt phone claims to offer up to eight hours of talk time.
“One of the main things about traditional smartphones is that they are svelte and slim – there’s an obvious correlation with how large a battery they can get in there,” Mr Booker said.
While most of its specifications are fairly standard for the sector, Dewalt’s MD501 phone comes with in-built QI wireless charging, which is unusual, he added.
Its touchscreen is made of commercially manufactured Gorilla Glass – a highly robust but thin type of glass that works with gloved hands.
The handset is a collaboration with Global Mobile Communications, a rugged phone specialist.[related-posts]
[BBC]
