Rugged smartphone market sees substantial growth

06 Dec, 2017

According to Bullitt Group Research, the rugged smartphone market is growing rapidly and is expected to see continued growth.

Recent shipment volume estimates for the rugged smartphone market, by independent industry analyst firm CCS Insight, show that 17.7 million rugged smartphones shipped in 2016, globally. This is forecast to grow to 22.2 million units in 2017, representing a year-on-year increase of 25%. Continued year-on-year increases are forecast at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18.9% (2016-2021), with the market set to reach 54.5 million units by 2021.

The rugged smartphone market has two subcategories:

Consumer rugged smartphones: these devices are consumer-oriented and retain key characteristics of a conventional smartphone. They usually carry an ingress protection (IP) rating of 68, and are drop tested onto a hard surface from a minimum of 1.2 metres. Consumer rugged devices from leading vendors offer relevant features that enhance their suitability for use in many scenarios. They include drop proofing, true water and dust proofing, high capacity batteries, bright touch-screen displays readable in sunlight and optimised for outdoor use, with thick tempered glass protection and support for input with wet fingers or while wearing gloves.

Ultra rugged smartphones: these devices are specifically designed for industrial use or to survive extreme rugged testing. They are usually more expensive, and will often be engineered to be non-incendiary and Intrinsically Safe, making them suitable for use in hazardous environments. They may also incorporate specialised software or hardware features to support key line-of-business use cases for specific industries.

Fundamentally, rugged devices are engineered and tested to be robust, and to break substantially less often, despite regularly being used in significantly more demanding and rough conditions. While rugged devices often command a premium in the market, due chiefly to the increased associated engineering costs, they can often deliver dramatic total cost of ownership (TCO) benefits to individuals and organisations.

A small study recently found that within the enterprise space, field staff are 18% more productive with rugged devices, and deploying rugged devices can be “upwards of 40% more cost effective” than consumer devices.

Top six essential features for rugged smartphone users