How many times has someone at a worksite dropped their smartphone and shattered the screen? Or had it fall into water? Or curse the device because gloved fingers meant frustration when typing?
Later this year, two companies with a long history in construction will release smartphones that have been designed for demanding outdoor and indoor conditions.
DeWalt will market its waterproof and dust-proof Android smartphone while Caterpillar is touting its Android phone that is equipped with an integrated thermal camera.
"We’re the first company to combine thermal imaging with a regular camera," said Phil Raso, a program manager with Caterpillar Inc.
Speaking from Caterpillar’s headquarters in Peoria, Ill., Raso said the Cat S60’s thermal camera will be invaluable for tradespeople.
"Plumbers can use it to detect leaks in walls. Electricians can see overheating circuits and the phone can detect where cold air is coming in around windows and doors," Raso explained.
The thermal camera identifies heat that is invisible to the naked eye from a distance of up to 30 metres, thus highlighting temperature contrasts. It can also see through smoke.
Raso expects Cat S60 users will come up with multiple ways of putting the phone to work, including everything from checking the barbecue’s gas cylinder levels to scanning the back yard at night.
"We don’t even know all of the use cases," he said.
The Cat S60 is also waterproof to depths of up to five metres for one hour, which means it can be used as an underwater camera.
Built beyond military specifications, the phone can be dropped onto concrete from up to 1.8 metres without shattering, thanks to a die cast frame and Corning’s Gorilla Glass 4, Raso said. It’s also dust-proof and waterproof.
"We’ve targeted the phone to be extremely tough and robust," Raso said.
Other features include the ability to operate from -25 C to 55 C and a touchscreen that can be controlled with wet fingers or while wearing gloves. The larger-than-normal displays will make it easier to navigate for those who have big fingers.
Caterpillar, better known for its heavy equipment, has been selling heavy-duty smartphones for the last three years. The S60, an Asian-made phone, debuted in February at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain.
Raso expects the phone to be available in Canada around October.
Carrying a price tag of roughly US$600, the phone will be sold directly from Caterpillar or through Rogers Communications.
The target market, Raso said, is those looking for a rough and tumble phone who don’t want to pay $1,000.
DeWalt, the power tool maker and subsidiary company of Stanley Black and Decker, has been selling its MD501 in the United Kingdom for £379 (approximately $720 Canadian) since April.
Like the Cat S60, the MD501 will be available in Canada later this year.
DeWalt’s product can be dropped onto concrete without shattering from up to two metres. It can also operate in temperatures from -20 C to 60 C and be used while wearing gloves. The phone has a five-inch screen protected by HD Bright View Gorilla Glass 3.
The MD501 is waterproof for up to 30 minutes in up to two metres of water and can tolerate chemical spills or vibrations
And because the phone can hold two SIM cards, it can operate separately on a personal and business basis. Alternatively, one card can be dedicated to calls, while the other can be used for data.
There is one tradeoff when it comes to having either of these industrial-strength mobile phones. They are roughly twice the weight and thickness of regular smartphones.
But, as Raso said of the Cat S60, "It’s a cool phone. It looks great."
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