But..
Let’s be honest. If you put one next to the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S5 you used to struggle in the specs-race.
Encased in shock absorbent rubber, expect to pay $499 USD / 479 Euros or (by our calculations) around £383 for this quad core (1.2Ghz) device powered by Android 4.4 (KitKat). It’s waterproof and has wet-finger tracking, plus it’s scratch resistant, IP67 certified dustproof and has a 4.7″ shatter-resistant Gorilla glass 3 screen. Around the back is an 8 megapixel camera with flash and HD video, plus you get 8GB on-board storage and up to another 64GB via the microSD card slot.
Although you get Google Play, on board, Cat are also trying their own store called the “Cat Phones App Store” with 1000 hand picked apps. The S50 also has enhanced audio thank to a sound system developed by Waves, which should mean better sound outdoors.
If you lead an active lifestyle, have a tough job or you’re just tired of wrapping your current phone in a big case, give this a try instead.
Full gallery below and, below that, further details in the press release. It’ll be available at the end of this month from the same retailers as the B15Q – Amazon, Clove, Expansys etc. Head over to CatPhones.com if you’d like more information.
Cat® Launches the S50 Rugged Smartphone – Designed For the Outdoors
Flagship handset designed for outdoor sports enthusiasts and workers who demand both high-end performance and protection from the elements
4th September 2014 — Cat Phones today announces the launch of the Cat® S50, a rugged, high-end 4G smartphone designed specifically to be used outdoors and in challenging environments, making it the perfect partner for extreme sports and outdoor working.
The S50 is waterproof and the screen can be used even with wet fingers. It’s scratch-resistant, dustproof and can withstand more than just a few bumps and scrapes. It also has a quad core (1.2Ghz) processor running the latest version of Android (KitKat) with access to Google Play meaning there is no compromise between performance and protection.
“Choosing a mobile phone suitable for outdoor pursuits has often meant making a compromise on either the functionality or the level of protection,” says Oliver Schulte, CEO of Cat Phones. “Not so with the S50, which offers all of the features of a high-end smartphone with the level of protection and durability that you’d expect from the Cat brand.”
Whether it’s being used on the slopes, on a bike, up a mountain or on a building site, the S50 copes with anything that’s thrown at it. No matter if it’s wet, cold, dusty or dirty, nothing compromises the S50’s high-end smartphone performance…not even a drop onto concrete.
The S50 is also the first Cat phone to be launched pre-loaded with the Cat Phones App Store of over 1000 hand picked apps. The curated collection – which includes both well known and widely used apps such as Skype and Endomondo to smaller niche but equally useful ones like CHECD – means Cat phone users don’t need to trawl through the 1.2 million apps on Google Play to find the one they want. The 1000 apps most relevant to their work and play are now one click away in the Cat Phones App Store.
Adds Schulte: “An active or outdoor lifestyle requires phones to be taken into environments that they’re not designed for. At Cat Phones we recognised the need for a mobile that was built to be a true companion to these activities and environments rather than being hidden away in a bag or wrapped up in a rucksack. The S50 is a phone that can always be at the centre of the action.”
Complementing the durable design features, the S50 boasts performance enhancing audio technology for unparalleled sound performance developed by Waves, a recipient of a Technical GRAMMY Award®. This provides a better listening experience even outdoors, for everything from playing games, watching movies, listening to music or using online voice communication.
Following on from the best-selling Cat B15Q rugged handset, the S50 boasts a faster processor, bigger screen, improved standby-time and improved imaging and connectivity capabilities including an 8MP camera and 4G compatibility. It is available in a range of colours including Forest and Slate, each one encased in shock absorbent rubber and will be priced at 499 USD / 479 Euros.
S50 Specs
· Android™ (4.4) KitKat
· Waterproof with wet-finger tracking
· IP67 certified dustproof
· Mil Spec 810G
· Scratch resistant
· 4.7” Shatter resistant Gorilla® glass 3
· 8MP camera with flash and HD video
· 4G LTE
· 16Hrs of talk-time
· 8GB storage. Micro SD card support up to 64GB
For further information please visit www.catphones.com
