Caterpillar, the heavy construction equipment manufacturer more commonly known as CAT, has come out with a tough waterproof Android phone.
The CAT B15 smartphone looks like it could be a nice alternative to the Otterbox-clad iPhones and Android phones that have become popular at jobsites.
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It features a rubber-cased aluminum body with few openings and the 4″ capacitive touch-screen display is covered by a scratch-proof Corning Gorilla Glass screen for optimal durability. CAT says that the new phone can endure drops onto concrete of up to 1.8 meters (5′ 11″) without suffering any damage.
An IP67 rating means the BR15 phone is very waterproof and dustproof. It is also shock resistant to military standards (810G) and can operate in a wide range of temperatures, from -4°F to 131°F.
As with other modern smartphones, you get WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity, GPS, an accelerometer, proximity sensor, and ambient light sensor, a headphone jack, and both front- and rear-facing cameras (5MP and VGA).
What’s disappointing is that, while the new phone can work on different networks, it can only support 3G and 2G network speeds. A 2000 mAh removable Lithium-ion battery pack provides up to 16 hours of talk time.
The GSM cellular tech means this phone will work on AT&T and T-Mobile networks in the US.
Pricing varies, but it looks like you can buy the phone for about $340 to $370.
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Buy Now(via Amazon)
More Info(via CAT)
Here’s a CAT promo video that exaggerates the BR15 phone’s toughness:
First Thoughts
If I ran a construction business or worked for the city and needed to supply a crew with phones, I might consider CAT’s BR15. Its toughness and robust specs are pretty darned impressive. On the other hand, there are a lot of reasons why I would never buy one of these phones for myself, even if they were compatible with Verizon’s network.
First, what about support? An Amazon customer complained that warranty support for his broken phone was very complicated and frustrating to deal with.
Second, the comparatively low price tag for the unlocked CAT phone is indicative of the slower tech inside.
There’s no 4G radio, and CAT boasts that the phone has smart features such as Wi-Fi, GPS, 3G internet and access to the Google Play Store. My original Motorola Droid from 4-1/2 years ago had all these “smart” features.
Lastly, although the phone comes loaded with Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean), Android is now up to version 4.4 (Kit Kat). I wouldn’t expect CAT to offer software updates anytime soon.
So although CAT’s B15 phone looks very manly and can endure some attention-grabbing but rather unimpressive torture test stunts, think carefully before you buy one. There are plenty of reasonably tough smartphones out there, and there are lots of waterproof and toughening case options for popular models such as Apple iPhone and Samsung Galaxy series phones.
skfarmer
you may think differently if you worked in a harsh environment. i have a droid max in an otter box. i have had it less than 6 months and the screen is cracked in one corner and the otter box does only a fair job of keeping dust away from the device. sometimes i wish i had one of my old indestructable flip phones that worked for years. it is hard to see the screen in bright daylight and it is annoying to have to search through several screens just to make a call. it seems like most new “phones” are actually poor phones and are just mini tablets. more is not always better.
M6
I like these “tough phone” concepts that keep coming out, but they are always woefully underpowered and under-featured.
For those of us who want more power under the hood, a regular smartphone coupled with a hybrid case, extended battery and tempered glass screen protector is more than enough to do the trick.
It amazes me how many people refuse to get a screen protector until it is too late.
Michael Quinlan
I agree. Sure, ruggedness is a desirable feature for a not-insignificant part of the smart phone buying public. But given the availability of tough cases from Otterbox, Seidio, Trident, etc., it’s a feature that for most people can be added to any phone. But the other features – CPU, RAM, internal storage, network connectivity – are all things that can’t be changed post-purchase. I’d love to have a “naked” smart phone with an IP67 rating, but not at the expense of all the other features that make it a useful tool.
Dan Richards
This isn’t the only tough phone or the best by a long shot. JCB and Land Rover have had partnerships with Sonim for years – a real tough phone maker. Thing is, you find fakes on eBay and Amazon all the time. The Chinese fake phone market is absolutely bursting with fake tough phones, and I’d strongly suspect if it’s sold by a third party on Amazon, it’s fake. And if anything is advertised as Dual-SIM, it’s definitely fake.
That said, there are plenty of good tough phones from common makers. Motorola makes some, Samsung makes some, Sonim makes some. And then there’s always Lifeproof, if you prefer to have your cake and eat it too.
Javier
Its good to see, I would like a high end version. Casio has been making tough phones for years, my buddies have them. One a flip phone version and the other an android. Both jobsite tough.
Would like to see some tech specs like ram and processor and screen resolution. Although I doubt its hd for a 4 inch screen. Probably be qhd or 480×800.
Also 3g speeds on tmobile are very good, actually can be as good as lte if this phone has a 42mpbs modem
Ben
Looks like a Motorola phone in a waterproof case to me, just not an off the shelf Otterbox or Lifeproof. Hard to tell for sure from the pics, but it sure looks that way to me. The app screen and the soft keys look identical to my old Motorola. After failures of many models over several years, I’ve sworn off Motorola.
Ed
I have the new MotoG and its amazing. Totally different company since google took over.
Ben
I have a Photon Q, and it’s a bigger POS than the Motorolas I’ve had in the past. An accomplishment considering my Nextels used to go up on a monthly basis.