The Xcover collection has been working ever since 2011 with the primary Samsung Galaxy ruggedized telephone. It was nonetheless a time during which smartphones had bodily buttons beneath their touchscreens and allowed customers to open them up and swap their batteries out.
The road-up of telephones has been every-growing for 11 years now, with the newest installment being the Xcover 6 Professional. And — you is perhaps shocked by this — it is usually able to having its battery taken out and swapped in for a freshly charged one.
How did Samsung rugged telephones evolve over time?
However wait, let’s rewind a bit. What did the primary Xcover do, which was totally different from the Samsung Galaxy SII — the new Samsung flagship from again then? Properly, it had a score of IP67, which made it impervious to mud and immune to rain.
Its successor, the Xcover 2, made small enhancements like a front-facing selfie digital camera and the flexibility to report video at 720p, which was spectacular for 2013. Samsung additionally launched its first rugged pill in the identical yr – it had an IP67 score, making it utterly ingress proof and able to resisting splashes.
In 2015, the Xcover 3 introduced in a design aspect which might grow to be a staple of the collection going ahead — an additional, fully-customizable bodily button. These days that may not appear to be a lot, however again within the day it was a novel idea.
The Xcover 4 was the primary within the line to have the military-grade MIL-STD-810G certification. This one isn’t usually seen on smartphones, but it surely mainly ensures that the telephone can survive in cold and warm environments, drops from 3ft (~1m) and even heavy impacts. The Tab Lively 2 was launched alongside the Xcover 4, and whereas it didn’t have military-level certification, it had a barely boosted IP68 resistance and help for the S-Pen.
2020 noticed the introduction of the Xcover Professional: the primary within the collection to lose the bodily interface buttons. Though it was solely supplied as a enterprise answer, it was actually probably the most trendy out of the bunch, with a slew of contemporary options corresponding to a fingerprint sensor and a 1080p selfie digital camera.
The Tab Lively 3 was launched the identical yr and was the primary within the collection with MIL-STD-810G certification. It additionally had a No Battery mode, which allowed for the system to be powered instantly by way of cable, eliminating overheating whereas conserving battery life within the course of.
The modernized look of the XCover Professional transferred over to the XCover 5, which was one of the crucial reasonably priced rugged telephones for frontline staff in 2021. It additionally retained the army grade MIL-STD-810G certification and the customizable bodily button.
What’s the newest Samsung rugged telephone in 2022?
The Samsung Galaxy XCover 6 Professional is the newest telephone within the collection, nonetheless boasting lots of the options that turned staples. For instance, it has not one, however two customizable bodily buttons, although one in all them can solely be used with sure communication apps — , like a walkie-talkie.
It’s geared up with the largest display on an Xcover telephone thus far, with a 6.6” PLS LCD panel. PLS (airplane to line switching) is a Samsung-developed display know-how, which permits for wider viewing angles and a ten% enhance in brightness.
Whereas the inclusion of an LCD display might seem outdated, it’s the truth is one of many methods by which Samsung exhibits take care of frontline staff. As they typically have the necessity to take a look at directions for lengthy intervals of time whereas working, the LCD display removes the prospect of burn-in.
The Xcover 6 Professional additionally helps Samsung DeX, comes 5G-enabled and has each an IP68 score and MIL-STD-810H certification. That mainly implies that solely salt water, chlorine and lengthy publicity to sizzling steam can kill it, and that’s if its exterior shell is cracked, which must be a problem all on my own, contemplating its design.
2022 additionally noticed the discharge of the Lively 4 Professional pill. It nonetheless retains bodily front-facing buttons (keep in mind: frontline staff typically put on protecting gloves), helps No Battery mode, and is now enabled to work with Samsung’s POGO dock for straightforward charging and additional performance whereas plugged-in.
And sure, each of Samsung’s rugged sensible units from 2022 have interchangeable batteries.
The XCover 6 Professional is the newest telephone within the collection, launched in July of 2022.
By means of the various interpretations that the collection has seen, it is clear that Samsung has taken its time to hearken to suggestions and enhance the units, so that they could possibly be a greater, safer and extra dependable match for a lot of, many industries.
Whilst you most likely received’t begin seeing Xcover telephones within the pockets of your classmates or neighbors, it isn’t tough to understand the purpose which the collection has reached, and we are able to solely marvel how Samsung will enhance on the idea subsequent time round.