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Cat S52 rugged phone looks like a 'regular' phone (Update: Out in UK now!)

The Cat S52 is now available for purchase in the UK, with other countries coming soon.
By

Published onNovember 12, 2019

Cat S52
Cat

Update, November 12, 2019 (09:58 AM ET): The Cat S52 rugged phone detailed below is now available for purchase in the United Kingdom. Simply visit the official Cat website and grab one for yourself for just £449 (~$578).

If you don’t want to buy online, you can always visit physical shops from GoMobile and Digital Phone Company and grab one there.

There is still no word on availability outside the UK for this device.


Original article, October 29, 2019 (05:51 PM ET): Cat just added a new device to its relatively short list of ultra-rugged smartphones: the Cat S52. Remarkably, the device looks a lot like a “normal” smartphone, rather than the usual thick brick design of other Cat phones.

Even with the design becoming a little more aesthetically pleasing, Cat didn’t skimp out on the usual durability customers have come to expect from the brand. The Cat S52 has an IP68 rating (naturally) and is also waterproof at up to 1.5 meters of depth for up to 35 minutes.

Cat also says the device will survive a 5-foot drop onto concrete, although it doesn’t say how many times you could do that before it would break.

Related: Best CAT smartphones: Ruggedness takes a whole new shape

Specs are never a big selling point of any Cat phone, considering people are paying for the ruggedness, not the latest-and-greatest internals. Still, the Cat S52 holds its own against many 2019 mid-rangers, and will even get an upgrade to Android 10 at some point (it ships with Android 9 Pie).

Check out some more photos of the device below as well as the specs table:

Cat S52 Official Specs
Display
5.65-inch HD+ IPS LCD in 18:9 ratio
1,440 x 720 resolution
Gorilla Glass 6
Can be used with wet fingers or gloves
Processor
MediaTek Helio P35
Octacore
2.3GHz
RAM
4GB
Storage
64GB
Expandable with microSD slot
Battery
3,100mAh
Non-removable
Fast-charging
Cameras
Rear:
Sony 12MP sensor
f/1.8, 1.4μm, PDAF, EIS

Front:
8MP sensor
Safety
Drop tested at 1.5m (5ft) on steel, 30 times, including on to all sides and corners
IP68 rating for sand, dust, and dirt
Waterproof up to 1.5m for 35 minutes
Mil Spec 810G
Resistant to vibration: Category 4
Resistant to humidity and salt mist

Security
Rear fingerprint sensor
Connectivity
LTE Cat 6, (VoWiFi, VoLTE, ViLTE supported)
Dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4GHz/5GHz),
Bluetooth 5.0
NFC support
GPS, AGPS, GLONASS/Galileo

Ports
3.5mm headphone jack (waterproof)
USB-C charging
microSD slot
Operating System
Android 9 Pie
(Upgrade to Android 10 imminent)
Dimensions / Weight
158.1 x 76.6 x 9.69mm
210g

The Cat S52 is launching in Europe and the United Kingdom today. It has a retail price of €499 (~$555) and £449 (~$578) respectively and will be available starting November 12 from Cat’s official mobile site as well as other major European and British retailers.

Cat didn’t mention anything about the device coming to the United States, although most Cat phones eventually land here, so it’s likely just a matter of time.

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