A rugged smartphone is a specific type of toughened

smartphone A smartphone is a portable computer device that combines mobile telephone and computing functions into one unit. They are distinguished from feature phones by their stronger hardware capabilities and extensive mobile operating systems, whic ...

which is designed to be completely sealed within a durable housing to protect it against damage from, among other things, water, shock, dust, and vibration.
Rugged smartphones are designed to survive

extreme weather Extreme weather or extreme climate events includes unexpected, unusual, severe, or unseasonal weather; weather at the extremes of the historical distribution—the range that has been seen in the past. Often, extreme events are based on a locat ...

and temperatures,

accidental damage Accidental may refer to: * Accidental (music), a symbol which changes the pitch of a note * ''Accidental'' (album), by Fred Frith * Accidental (biology), a biological phenomenon more commonly known as vagrancy * ''The Accidental'', a 2005 novel ...

, and rough handling; making them ideal for working outdoors, or in harsh environments, along with use during

extreme sport Action sports, adventure sports or extreme sports are activities perceived as involving a high degree of risk. These activities often involve speed, height, a high level of physical exertion and highly specialized gear. Extreme tourism overl ...

s, such as

sailing Sailing employs the wind—acting on sails, wingsails or kites—to propel a craft on the surface of the ''water'' (sailing ship, sailboat, raft, windsurfer, or kitesurfer), on ''ice'' (iceboat) or on ''land'' (land yacht) over a chosen cour ...

rock climbing Rock climbing is a sport in which participants climb up, across, or down natural rock formations. The goal is to reach the summit of a formation or the endpoint of a usually pre-defined route without falling. Rock climbing is a physically and ...

, etc. Most rugged smartphones will have been tested to tough

IP68 The IP code or ingress protection code indicates how well a device is protected against water and dust. It defined by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) under the international standard IEC 60529 which classifies and pro ...

standards. However, not all

waterproof Waterproofing is the process of making an object or structure waterproof or water-resistant so that it remains relatively unaffected by water or resisting the ingress of water under specified conditions. Such items may be used in wet environme ...

smartphones will be ruggedised.

Classification

There are three general types of rugged phone: *Outdoor sports *Military *Stylish

Functional requirements

The following

IP code The IP code or ingress protection code indicates how well a device is protected against water and dust. It defined by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) under the international standard IEC 60529 which classifies and pro ...

ratings for ingress protection (IP), as defined by the

International Electrotechnical Commission The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC; in French: ''Commission électrotechnique internationale'') is an international standards organization that prepares and publishes international standards for all electrical, electronic and r ...

(IEC) standard 60529 (equivalent to European standard EN 60529), are typically used for certifying various toughened and ruggedised smartphones.

Primary standard

IP56 — solid particle (dust) protection level 5 (partial protection against dust that may harm equipment), liquid ingress (

) protection level 6 (protection against direct high pressure water jets (all directions)), plus drop test of , conventional vibration.

Intermediate standard

IP57 — solid particle (dust) protection level 5 (partial protection against dust that may harm equipment), liquid ingress (waterproof) protection level 7 (protection against full immersion for up to 30 minutes at depths between and (limited ingress permitted with no harmful effects), plus drop test of , conventional vibration.

Advanced (professional) standards

IP67 — solid particle (dust) protection level 6 (totally dust tight; full protection against dust and other particulates, including a vacuum seal, tested against continuous airflow), liquid ingress (waterproof) protection level 7 (Protection against full immersion for up to 30 minutes at depths between 15 cm and 1 metre.Limited ingress permitted with no harmful effects). IP68 — solid particle (dust) protection level 6 (totally dust tight; full protection against dust and other particulates, including a vacuum seal, tested against continuous airflow), liquid ingress (waterproof) protection level 8 (protection against extended immersion under higher pressure (i.e. greater depths); precise parameters of this test will be set and advertised by the manufacturer, and may include additional factors such as temperature fluctuations and flow rates, depending on equipment type), plus drop test of , conventional vibration. IP69K — in the IEC 60529 rating system for ingress protection (IP), IP6* refers to the product’s ability to resist ingress of dust. The IP*9K refers to the product’s ability to resist ingress of high temperature (steam) / high pressure water. If the device passes all these tests, then it can be considered as IP69K rated smartphone, and can be used in harsh environments with high pressure / steam cleaning.

Testing procedure per ISO 20653

#A spray nozzle that is fed with water at and a flow rate of . #The nozzle is held from the tested device at

angle In Euclidean geometry, an angle is the figure formed by two Ray (geometry), rays, called the ''Side (plane geometry), sides'' of the angle, sharing a common endpoint, called the ''vertex (geometry), vertex'' of the angle. Angles formed by two ...

s of 0°, 30°, 60°, and 90°, for 30 seconds each. #The test device places on a

turntable A phonograph, in its later forms also called a gramophone (as a trademark since 1887, as a generic name in the UK since 1910) or since the 1940s called a record player, or more recently a turntable, is a device for the mechanical and analogu ...

that rotates once every 12 seconds.

MIL-STD-810G

MIL-STD-810G is a U.S. military standard that stipulates a level of durability for an item of equipment. Specifically, it means the equipment has been subjected to a series of twenty-nine (29) tests, including shock tests, vibration tests, and more. This means it should be field ready, or even ' combat ready' in principle. A lot of technology sold to the U.S. military must be MIL-STD-810G compliant.

List of rugged smartphones

* Jesy J20https://www.techradar.com/reviews/jesy-j20-ruggedized-phone

References

{{Cat phone Smartphones Consumer electronics Information appliances