Rugged phones

Phones with a robust casing are more resistant to drops. This is usually due to the use of additional materials that immediately make the casing look a bit chunkier. Rugged often also means waterproof, not the other way around.

In the past, water- and dust-proof phones were usually also robust. Nowadays, manufacturers increasingly apply a waterproof design without making a device robust. As a result, the design is often finer and more compact and therefore more susceptible to fall damage. In particular, the display screen, which has become increasingly larger in recent years, is often a victim after an unintentional drop. Mobile phones with a robust casing particularly offer protection against fall damage. This is usually done by adding extra material around the edges, especially rubber.

Phones resistant to falls

However, there are also phones that do not immediately look robust but are more resistant to drop damage. This is sometimes due to the construction applied with a sturdy metal frame and by sinking the display into the casing. Developments in display glass are not standing still either. For instance, manufacturer Corning's so-called Gorilla Glass gets better and stronger with every generation. However, even the latest generation of Gorilla Glass still wants to break in unfortunate cases. For those who absolutely do not want to run that risk is this category. Useful for those who spend a lot of time outdoors, as robust is also usually water, dust and temperature resistant. But also those who work a lot with small children and an accident might lurk as a target group.

Brands of rugged phones

Most telecom manufacturers' 'rugged phones' and 'tough phones' are often easy to recognise through the use of serial names. Samsung often uses the name 'Active' and 'Xcover' and Lenovo/Motorola often uses 'Force' as an addition for its rugged smartphones. In addition, there are manufacturers that specialise in releasing only ruggedised products including:

• Cat rugged phones
• Sonim rugged phones
• RugGear rugged phones
• Crosscall rugged phones

MIL-STD-810

Despite the fact that ruggedness is difficult to measure, standards have been developed. MIL-STD-810 is one such. The standard was developed in its first form in 1962 and products with this designation are allowed for use in the US military. The standard has several versions, of which MIL-STD 810G is the most recent. Despite its military background, the standard is also often used by phone manufacturers to demonstrate ruggedness. However, manufacturers are free to use the term without the need for approval by an umbrella body. As a result, not too much credence should immediately be given if a manufacturer claims to be MIL-STD 810G certified.