Samsung may be giving its next rugged phone an unusual feature

Samsung Galaxy XCover phones have never been about flashy cameras or impossibly thin designs. They’re built for people who need a phone that can survive demanding workplaces and the occasional nasty drop. Last year’s Galaxy XCover 7 family continued that tradition with a rugged design, removable battery, and seven years of software support. It even earned an honorable mention among our favorite Samsung phones. Now, Samsung appears to be preparing another XCover device, and its standout feature could be something you wouldn’t normally expect from a smartphone.

According to SammyGuru, a mysterious Samsung phone bearing model number SM-G778B has appeared on Geekbench with Qualcomm’s Dragonwing Q-6690 processor. What’s interesting about this chip isn’t necessarily its performance, but its built-in RFID reader.

For those unfamiliar, RFID (radio-frequency identification) technology uses radio waves to identify and track tagged objects. It’s commonly used in warehouses, retail stores, and logistics operations to manage inventory. Unlike barcodes, which generally need to be scanned individually and within sight of a scanner, RFID tags can be detected wirelessly from a distance. This means a warehouse worker could scan multiple tagged products at once without having to pick up each item or point a scanner directly at its label.

Qualcomm says its Dragonwing Q-6690 integrates an ultra-high-frequency RFID reader directly into the processor, potentially eliminating the need for a separate reader module. That could make Samsung’s next rugged phone especially useful for workers who handle inventory or track equipment.

The chipset also supports 5G, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6.0, and UWB. The Geekbench listing also shows 8GB of RAM, Android 16, and single-core and multi-core scores of 1,069 and 3,142, respectively.

There’s another interesting clue. SammyGuru also uncovered a September trademark application for the name Galaxy XCover Scan, suggesting Samsung could be considering a more specialized identity for its next rugged phone.

However, neither the trademark nor the benchmark confirms that they’re related. Even the processor’s integrated RFID capabilities don’t guarantee Samsung will enable the feature. Still, the pieces fit together rather nicely, and this could be one Galaxy phone worth watching for reasons beyond the usual specs.