A smartphone is probably the most advanced piece of technology most people own. We take these devices with us everywhere, we use them all the time. Odds are high we will drop them – onto the floor, into water or even onto hard pavement.
Even if you got the phone for free with a contract, this tiny slip-up could cost you hundreds of dollars to replace or repair the device.
Meet The Indestructible Smartphone
It doesn’t have to be that way. Several companies are already working on building much more rugged smartphones.
At this year’s CES trade show in Las Vegas, for example, Sony demonstrated its “waterproof” Xperia Z. According to Sony, the Xperia Z can survive in up to 3 feet of water for up to 30 minutes.
Sprint, meanwhile, has just introduced the Kyocera Torque, which it calls the “splashproof, drop-proof smartphone that can handle all of the elements of your rugged world.” According to Sprint, its drop tests were from a maximum height of 5 feet, 9 inches. Kyocera is even using Bear Grylls, of Man vs Wild fame, to promote the ruggedness of the device. The company claims the Torque meets IP67 ratings for dust and water immersion and Military Standard 810G for dust, shock, vibration, temperature extremes, low pressure, solar radiation, salt fog, humidity and immersion in 1 meter of water for 30 minutes. Phew!
