The Cat S32 is the latest rugged phone from British manufacturer Bullitt. Launched at CES 2020, this tough Android phone offers solid protection from the elements and can withstand drop damage without needing a case. It’s the first Cat phone we’ve seen in a while, and it’s set to fill the needs of outdoors adventurers and people working in tough environments who demand a little fortitude from their phones.
It’s a chunky beast that scores an IP68 rating, making it dustproof and waterproof for depths of up to 1.5 meters for up to 35 minutes. It also meets military drop test standards and has been drop tested from 1.8 meters onto steel. The Cat S32 can also withstand vibration and extreme temperatures.
Simon Hill/Digital Trends
The 5.5-inch display has been specially designed for the outdoors and sports a touchscreen that can be used with gloves on or with wet hands. The rugged, rubbery body is also textured for enhanced grip, and there are chunky, well-defined buttons, including a programmable shortcut key that can be used for Push to Talk (PTT) or to trigger an app.
The specs are nothing to write home about, but they’re solid enough. It has a fairly fast Mediatek Helio A20 processor inside, 3GB of RAM, and 32GB of storage, with room for a MicroSD card. There’s also a 13-megapixel main camera and a 5-megapixel front-facing camera.
It has a beefy 4,200mAh battery for serious stamina. In terms of connectivity, you’ll find support for LTE, NFC for mobile payments, and Bluetooth 5. There’s also room for a second SIM card inside.
Adding more value for the target audience, Cat offers a slew of apps onboard such as the Lone Worker app, which monitors people working alone to keep them safe by tracking them and alerting colleagues if they don’t check in regularly. Cat’s app toolbox includes a number of other apps for people working in construction, farming, and athletics.
If you like the look of the Cat S32, you can pick one up for $349. The exact release date and carrier details for the U.S. have yet to be released.
Follow our live blog for more CES news and announcements.