This is one for workers in the field – Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Xcover 5. It’s a tough little phone that can bounce back after falls from 1.5m thanks to its enhanced shock absorbers. Also, it is rated IP68 meaning it can spend over 30 minutes below 1m of water and is completely sealed against dust. It has a MIL-STD810H certification too. The handset measures 147.1 x 71.6 x 9.2 mm and has a small 5.3” LCD with 720p+ resolution. Biometric security is provided by the 5 MP front-facing camera built into the bezel above the display.
Samsung worked with partners to provide integration
usable in a wide variety of business scenarios. The push-to-talk function
allows you to use the Xcover 5 as a walkie-talkie with the Microsoft Teams app.
Also, the Xcover Key can be customized to launch any app you like.
The Samsung Knox Capture feature turns the
rear 16 MP camera into an enterprise-grade barcode scanner. The phone runs
Android 11 with all the Knox security features, so it can carry sensitive
information. The phone is powered by an Exynos 850 chipset is paired with 4 GB
of RAM and 64 GB storage.
The 3,000 mAh battery is user-replaceable.
It can be charged through the USB-C port at 15W or using a cradle that connects
to the two pogo pins. With NFC the phone can be used as a transportation card
to help workers commute to work. The phone will be available in single and dual
SIM configurations (this is region dependent). The Samsung Galaxy Xcover 5 will
become available later this month, coming to select markets in Europe, Asia and
Latin America first. Later it will expand to other regions.
In the UK in particular the phone will go
on sale on March 12 and will be available online at the Samsung Business Shop
for £ 330. You can find the Xcover 5 and Samsung’s other rugged devices here.
These “Galaxy Rugged” devices will be available at Samsung Experience Stores as
soon as it is safe to reopen. In Belgium, the phone should be available later
today for € 290.
