For most of us, a mobile phone is a reliable assistant in any life situation. We take it on the road, to work, to the country, and even on a trip outside the city. Thus, the mobile is with us in a variety of different conditions - both favorable and not so.
Previously, the term "secure phone" was called "bricks" like Siemens M65 and the like - covered with an aluminum plate, made of durable plastic that withstood the most severe impacts. In addition, such a technique, as a rule, was waterproof, due to which it was not afraid of moisture, dust and even sand.
Modern smartphones and their features
However, times have changed. As we can see today, compact and easy-to-carry devices have gained popularity, having a thin body and a large display for advanced multimedia capabilities. A typical smartphone today is a “plate” with a diagonal of 4-5 inches (on average), which has a minimum thickness.
A logical question arises: how can an elegant and miniature accessory with a large screen perform the same functions as a secure phone? How can we compare devices that have completely different characteristics, according to one criterion: strength and reliability in daily operation? Of course, nothing.
So we have to put up with the fact that the most advanced models are multifunctional, powerful devices that are not able to show excellent behavior in more severe operating conditions. So, it is not uncommon to have broken screens and a bent iPhone case after wearing in jeans. Obviously, manufacturers do not care about such protection of gadgets, clearly giving the user market to sellers of various films on the screen, covers and bumpers. Of course, all these additions cannot protect the device, say, from immersion in water or strong physical influences in most cases.
Mobile Phone Development Trends
At the same time, if we analyze the features of the direction in which manufacturers of electronics are acting, then in the ranking of priorities in the last place will be protected phones. Samsung only, perhaps, took care of sealing and protecting its flagship Galaxy S5, released last year. Probably, the same will apply to the new, sixth generation model.
This means that most smartphones today are becoming thinner, more stylish and more powerful, while manufacturers practically do not think about protection. Therefore, it is not surprising that over time more specialized models entered the market - secure phones. Reviews speak of their reliability. All of them are focused on resisting many factors that destroy the ordinary apparatus from the outside. In particular, these are unfavorable conditions that can arise from engaging in active sports, unusual hobbies (such as traveling), and other types of activities when the phone runs the risk of being in the sand, water or under the scorching sun. We will talk about them in this article.
The combination of different characteristics
Let's start with a description of how manufacturers manage to protect, it would seem, fragile phones with a display diagonal of more than 4 inches from external influences. You must admit that the large screen and thin body are the most fragile design that can be imagined. And it, in spite of everything, is protected from dust, moisture and mechanical damage! The answer is simple: this is due to the insulating materials used in the apparatus.
Take Land Rover secure phones as an example. All of them work on the Android system, have a similar device and appearance. This is usually a thickened frame (when compared with other similar smartphones that do not have isolation). It, accordingly, uses a system of rubber bands and plugs, which do not allow moisture to penetrate inside and harm the device. In addition, the thickened case allows the phone to withstand heavy loads - this applies to both the plastic itself and the screen of the phone, made from thicker, and therefore, stronger glass.
At the same time, all these indicators apply to a fairly strong device on the Android system, which is not inferior to its "unprotected" counterparts. This, in turn, means that secure cell phones have the same advantages as simple smartphones - a powerful processor, user-friendly interface, a good camera, and a capacious battery. For this reason, perhaps such devices are in demand.
Phones for 2 SIM cards
Another feature that can be noted separately is the presence of two slots for SIM cards. It is no secret that the cards of two operators at once are very convenient from the point of view of communication costs, and also taking into account the possibility of staying in the network from two numbers using only one device. That is why some secure phones have the ability to work with two SIM cards at once.
For example, such as the Ranger Fone, Sigma Mobile X-treme, Huadoo V3, Land Rover A9 +, Mann Zug 3 and some CAT models, they have the function of supporting two SIM cards at once. As practice shows, this is convenient, and users are happy to buy such devices, use them in their daily tasks, and do not worry about the security of the device.
Imagine! You can take a protected phone with 2 SIM cards without any fear for hunting, trophy-raid or travel, thus making your life much easier. For people involved in active sports, the presence of two SIM cards is especially important.
Smartphones with a powerful battery
If we talk about what qualities a secure telephone is simply obliged to possess, one cannot but recall one more thing. It proceeds from the condition that a similar category of smartphones can be used where there are no amenities, for example, when traveling away from civilization, where there is simply no way to recharge your device. Of course, such places are not visited by people as often, but this is a vivid example to understand how relevant protected phones with a powerful battery are. And there are, by the way, those too!
For example, Doogee DG700 worth 7500 rubles is one of these. A 4000 mAh battery is sold with it in a set, which is a perfectly acceptable solution for a smartphone of this class. Thanks to him, the device will be provided with work for several days (subject to the inclusion of a saving mode). In the case of active use, such a phone will be able to work for 2-3 days on a single charge.
In addition to the specified, there are other protected phones with a powerful battery. For example, this is Sigma X-Treme PQ15 (about 10 thousand rubles) with a battery capacity of 3600 mAh, X-Treme PQ 22 (4500 mAh), as well as Mann Zug (3000 mAh, 24 thousand rubles) and many others. As already noted, the need for a large battery charge is due to the fact that there is a need for various additional functions of such a device (for example, a GPS navigator or a powerful flashlight can be useful in a trip). Accordingly, such a powerful secure phone should work as long as possible.
Smartphone Protection
There is a whole classification system that mobile devices that have enhanced protection have. It is defined by marking - this is an IP class. It looks, for example, like this: IP68 (this is the maximum level). Both of these numbers are different types of protection that are used on similar devices. So, the first digit means accessibility to penetration of certain objects into the device (the minimum level is large objects, from 50 millimeters; and the maximum refers to dust). The second is the designation of the possibility of moisture entering the apparatus. The lowest degree is, accordingly, the absence of any protection; while the highest is the complete isolation of the smartphone.
Therefore, if we talk about which protected phones will be protected more, we recommend that you pay attention to this index. As a rule, most of the most common devices with protection have the highest level. If we talk about simple smartphones, then even they have a certain level. They will be discussed in the next article.
Protected Flagships
Not only large smartphones, covered with rubber plates and fastened with bolts, are protected from moisture and dust. There are so-called flagship models that have a normal, stylish look; can be used in everyday life, but are able to withstand the effects of external factors. The most striking example is the Samsung Galaxy S5 (at a price of 30 thousand rubles), which was discussed above.
This smartphone has a removable back cover, which does not prevent it from having a high degree of water resistance. This result is achieved due to the rubber gaskets between the cover and the body of the device. In addition, some elements of the Galaxy S5 case (such as the connection points to the USB cable or headphone jack) are covered with special gaskets. Due to this, we can say that the effect of complete isolation is achieved.
An example of a device of this class, which is successfully able to resist the effects of moisture and dirt, suggests that if you want a secure phone, you don’t have to buy a huge model of a truly “armored” (judging by the appearance) device. You can also take the stylish and feature-rich S5 and essentially get the same thing. True, it looks better and costs more.
Secure Model Overview
In addition to the general information that we have already shared with you, I would also like to shed light on what secure mobile phones are by simply reviewing one of the models. As the “experimental” we chose the smartphone Ranger Fone S19 / 15 (worth 18 thousand rubles).
So, first of all, we look at a brief description of the model. According to it, we can say that the device is classified as IP67. This means that it does not pass dust (including small particles), and can also be submerged to a depth of 1 meter for a short time without harm. Accordingly, if you want to take this tube with you on a trip related to overcoming water obstacles, most likely it will work fine.
We go further. As already noted, an important indicator is the battery capacity. In the Ranger Fone S19 / 15, it is equal to 2600 mAh (and, accordingly, lags behind the performance of the most advanced models in this segment). However, it can also be called quite high, given that with a more careful battery consumption, the phone will last for 10 hours of active use and 3-5 days in passive mode. Under the “careful” format, this means the use of only those services and functions that are needed at a particular time (temporarily enable the transfer of mobile data, GPS, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi).
Another parameter that is of interest to us for a superficial acquaintance with the device is the number of supported SIM cards. So, Fone of this version has 2 SIM slots, which means the ability to connect the passive mode of both cards. This can be described as follows: both cards are in standby mode at the same time, while during a conversation the device switches to one.
Finally, after characterizing the common, most significant points, you can move on to the parameters common to all smartphones. And this is the processor, graphics and camera. Regarding the first, it can be noted that the device is equipped with a quad-core processor with a frequency of 1.2 GHz, so it can be attributed to the segment of "medium" in the smartphone market. True, the rating of secure phones has its own characteristics, so in it this model can be called one that has quite good parameters. The operating system with which the device is sold is Android 4.2. Updates to later versions for Fone are not planned yet.
From the point of view of the next component - the graphic parameters, the Ranger Fone S19 phone is slightly losing ground. The device is equipped with a small screen (only 4 inches diagonal), working on IPS technology, which has a resolution of 854 by 480 pixels. However, given that we have before us a gadget that falls into the category of “secure mobile phones”, we can say that this will be enough for its intended use. Of course, no one will watch FullHD movies on a campaign on it.
The Fone S19 camera can also not be called strong - rather, it is a stable middling in the market of budget smartphones: the main one has a resolution of 8 megapixels and a flash powerful enough for shooting in the dark, and the front camera of the device has a resolution of 5 megapixels.
In addition to these characteristics, attention should be paid to such a category as additional functions. Agree, this is important for a “hiking” device. We are talking about a walkie-talkie that allows you to connect to similar phones at a distance of 3 to 5 kilometers, as well as a motion sensor, a compass, a barometer (measuring pressure) and a thermometer that measures the temperature in the environment where the phone is located. It’s hard to say whether all these additions come in handy or not in real life. Probably, one should start from who and for what purpose, as well as how intensively the phone will be used.
By the example of the characteristics of this gadget, other secure phones can also be described. All manufacturers compile their descriptions according to a similar principle, due to which it is quite simple to do. Plus, of course, do not forget to read reviews about the build quality and further functioning of phones of a particular brand.
How to choose the best secure phone?
To choose a device that will serve you in more difficult conditions than those that you are used to, you need to approach with all responsibility. You can’t tell a person: take those devices that support the ability to work with 2 SIM cards. Rugged phones are actually a complete solution. If you buy such a device, then you know why.
Let's say there is a category of buyers who want to buy a phone with protection just so as not to worry about its safety due to active wearing and constant use. Of course, for this purpose, an apparatus having a low or medium level of protection is quite suitable, because it is unlikely that it will sink to a depth of 1 meter in ordinary life.
Another example is completely opposite - these are some special requirements for the phone. If, say, a person is going to travel on some exotic country, where he may encounter sandstorms or water crossings, obviously he will need one of the most reliable devices. If you select them according to these parameters, first you need to look at as many models of the “secure phones” category as possible. All manufacturers, as a rule, call them attractive names, but pay attention to the quality and equipment of the device, as well as its price.
Well, of course, do not forget about the most basic criteria for choosing a phone, for example, dimensions. The device should not be too bulky, otherwise there may be difficulties with its use in everyday life. In addition to the design, which, of course, you should like (and rugged phones, Samsung or CAT, have a rather attractive appearance), you should pay attention to whether the model is convenient in your hand; how comfortable it is to have a conversation with it and so on. If you order the device on the Internet, we recommend that you first go to a real store and twist the sample of the model you like in your hands in order to understand more about it.
About prices for secure phones (for 2 SIM cards, all manufacturers and models)
Even within the framework of this article, I would like to mention a little about the prices that have been formed for those or other models. If you analyze the overall price pattern of online shopping, you will notice that the cost of phones varies. At the same time, interestingly, it does not always increase or decrease based on some technical parameters of the device or its functional characteristics. Quite often, the buyer overpays exclusively for the loud sound of the brand, the logo of which will be applied to his phone.
Let's say names like CAT or Land Rover cost the owner much more than Sigma and Doogee. The latest companies (if you do not take into account the popularity of Sigma in this area) can be safely called the ones that lack a high profile, unlike the first two brands. Therefore, of course, you need to pay for such a “bonus”.
An alternative to expensive and massive devices
Of course, in order to make any smartphone cheaper (even if they are secure phones with 2 SIM cards), all manufacturers on the market should cut their functionality and release it at a more affordable price. So, in fact, do marketers, offering phones like AGM Stone. The phone can be really good; he will have the necessary characteristics that protected models are endowed with. However, in fact, this is not a smartphone, but simply a phone with advanced functionality. But it is not exposed to dust and moisture, which may also be useful to some buyers of this kind of technology. Typically, such devices have buttons, not a touch panel, due to which they differ from more expensive counterparts. In addition, it is, of course, the operating system and the capabilities that it possesses.
You can still buy a cheaper phone, preserving its advantages in the form of protection, with the help of less well-known brands.
You can preview the range of products at once in several online stores, due to which your choice will be more motivated and successful than if you live around 3-4 stores. Take, for example, characteristics that may not be fully indicated in electronics supermarkets. The only plus of such stores is the ability to hold the item in your hands (and so, after comparing the prices for 2-SIM protected phones, we can say that they are lower after all online).
So, we examined some characteristics of phones, which are called “secure”. Of course, whether you need such a device, or you will manage with a different, cheaper and simpler analogue, which is not a pity, is up to you. True, of course, looking at the number of sales of such phones, we can conclude that this category of devices is successful. Apparently, people are buying such smartphones for an active lifestyle, and maybe just so that the child who received such a device does not break it on the first day. In fact, the goal is not as important as the result. Ultimately, choosing the right phone will give you a reliable assistant in extreme situations that you can rely on. Perhaps this will help you make a new discovery for yourself, overcome your fears and overcome the fear that something will not work. With these phones you want to do something interesting.
Let's hope that you share this point of view if you buy yourself one. Good luck with your choice!