Samsung unveils rugged Galaxy Xcover 5
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 (5 ft) 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 rugged Samsung Galaxy Xcover 5
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.
