Ruggedized handsets are nothing new, and neither are smartphones that can survive an accidental soaking in water. but Kyocera claims to be the first to combine both features.
Smartphones may be slowly making the standalone digital camera extinct, but camera-makers have been able to cling on to the one growing segment in the market -- the action cam. However, if the DuraForce PRO hits the spot with those that want to stay connected while base jumping or slack rope walking, then even that market's future doesn't look so bright.
"The DuraForce PRO provides consumers and businesses with industry-leading rugged technology and is the only rugged smartphone with a built-in high-definition action camera, enabling users to stay connected and capture the content they love no matter the circumstance or environment," said Chuck Becher, senior division vice president of sales, marketing and product at Kyocera International's Communications Equipment Group.
Indeed, the handset meets military standards when it comes to being able to survive knocks, drops and splashes. It has been treated to withstand use in extreme environments such as snowy mountains and arid deserts; the touchscreen even responds to a gloved or wet hand.
In terms of hardware and software specifications, the phone has a decent Qualcomm Snapdragon octa-core processor mated to 2GB of RAM and there's 32GB of storage on board. The 5-ich display may be only full HD (1920x1080) but the rear camera offers 13-megapixels. The front-facing 5-megapixel unit is also up to scratch and that's on top of the action cam setting which offers wide-angle filming in HD resolution with a number of pre-set modes including ‘underwater'. What's more, the handset is, according to its makers, compatible with a host of existing action cam mounts already on the market.
The handset's final clever feature is a big 3,240mAh battery that supports wireless charging and Qualcomm's Quick Charge technology, meaning that it can go from dead to fully charged up to 75 percent quicker than a similar-sized battery in a different handset.
Kyocera is yet to confirm prices for the new phone but will reveal more when the handset officially lands this fall.
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