How to buy rugged smartphones

Rugged smartphone users are a demanding bunch. First there are their ‘must-have’ requirements – phones must be waterproof, dustproof and steamproof, offer long battery life, and be able to work in extreme temperatures. Then there are the ‘nice to have’ features such as dual SIMs, ease of use and a wide range of supported apps.

The global market for rugged smartphones stands at around 5.8 million units in 2016 and is projected to reach 6.4 million by 2020, according to market intelligence and advisory firm VDC Research. The UK makes up around eight per cent of this demand, which is growing rapidly.

George Chu, sales and business development director at rugged tablet provider RuggON, says a wider range of industries are starting to use ‘ruggedised’ mobile devices, with many learning the hard way about which models offer the best value for money.

“In most cases people start out using consumer electronic devices and realise that they’re not ruggedised enough and create a lot of problems because they’re breaking down all the time. They end up spending a lot of money on repairing or replacing devices, so they eventually realise they need something that’s ruggedised,” explains Chu.