Samsung launches business rugged devices

Source: Samsung. The Galaxy Tab Active3 on the left, and Galaxy XCover Pro on the right.

Samsung Electronics Singapore has announced two new business rugged devices - devices that are ruggedised, yet which have a full range of business capabilities. Part of Samsung for Business portfolio, the Galaxy Tab Active3 is now available while the Galaxy XCover Pro will be available in March. Knox Capture, a new enterprise-grade scanning solution, will also be supported by both devices by March.

Today’s businesses are looking for multifunctional devices that are easy to use. Samsung’s research¹ found that 68% of those surveyed agree that devices supporting point-of-sale (mPOS), push-to-talk (PTT) and mobile scanning functions need to be performing more than one dedicated role. In addition, enterprise customers with frontline employees in construction, healthcare and last-mile delivery sectors require durable, portable and easy-to-use rugged devices to complete their tasks confidently.

“When designing the Galaxy Tab Active3 and Galaxy XCover Pro, we have incorporated new features based on feedback from our customers on functions that would benefit their everyday operations,” said Sarah Chua, VP of IT and Mobile, Samsung Electronics Singapore.

“The Galaxy Tab Active3 is a multifunctional tablet that not only supports the latest applications for field work, but also no battery mode² for those who require devices at a fixed kiosk or mounted on vehicles. Meanwhile, the Galaxy XCover Pro can seamlessly transform into a mobile device scanner or a walkie-talkie – perfect for field workers in logistics and supply chain sectors. With a strong lineup of rugged devices, we are paving the way for continuous innovation to create products that allow customers to do business with a peace of mind, while keeping their frontline workers productive and safe.”

Samsung’s commitment in developing ruggedised devices has also been recognised in the industry, where the company was named as a Leader in the IDC MarketScape for Worldwide Rugged Mobile Devices³ which states that Samsung’s Rugged offerings “bridge the gap between industrial ultra-rugged devices and consumer-grade devices, making them durable enough to withstand a number of challenging environments while still providing a familiar and approachable end-user experience.”

The new business rugged devices feature sleek, durable and compact designs that enable frontline workers to be more secure, collaborative and productive in the field:

Galaxy Tab Active3

Samsung Galaxy Tab Active3 is a business-ruggedised tablet designed to withstand the harshest of work conditions. It is MIL-STD-810H and IP68⁴-certified to handle some of the world’s toughest jobs in the most extreme environments. Its enhanced shock absorption is now able to withstand drops of up to 1.5 m with an inbox protective cover⁵.

The long-lasting, replaceable 5,050 mAh battery⁶ supports fast charging through USB and POGO pins. For businesses that use tablets in a fixed location like a kiosk, Galaxy Tab Active3 now supports No Battery Mode for power without a battery.

Providing a PC-like experience with Samsung DeX, the Galaxy Tab Active3 is equipped with dual-screen functionality so tasks can be picked up from anywhere – be it in the office or in the field.

Singapore private transport operator Woodlands Transport saw productivity improvements with the implementation of Samsung’s Business Rugged tablets in their buses and for backend administrative processes.

“Partnering with Samsung has helped our organisation to streamline and digitalise operations. What used to be traditional pen and paper processes are now done on a Samsung rugged tablet, which provides us real-time information of our drivers and passengers. 

"In addition, the multifunctional tablets allow us to seamlessly coordinate and manage our fleet vehicles on the roads daily, all from the same device. With improved operational efficiencies, our on-ground employees are able to focus on the task at hand – operating the vehicles – thereby delivering an optimal travel experience and improving customer satisfaction,” said Albert Lim, MD, Woodlands Transport.

Other Galaxy Tab Active3 features include:

Capture everything: The 13 MP rear camera provides perfect clarity for both taking pictures or scanning detailed documents and the 5 MP front camera is suited for video or conference calls.

Augmented reality: Google ARCore is now supported and enables new augmented reality services, such as remote training.

Quick access: The Active Key on the side of the device allows instant access to the apps or programmes used most often, grants easy access for emergency calls, scanning or push-to-talk⁷ functions.

Retail-ready: Galaxy Tab Active3 is optimised for camera-based barcode scanning to help retailers easily manage inventory and scan products for purchase⁸. The Galaxy Tab Active3 also supports NFC with EMV Level 1 for payment⁹.

Touch sensitivity: When activated, Touch Sensitivity allows professionals to continue using the Galaxy Tab Active3 while wearing gloves¹⁰ so employees can stay protected while operating the device.

IP68-certified S Pen: Perfect for signature capture and managing complex documents in gloved environments, the S-Pen is also water and dust resistant.

Galaxy XCover Pro

With its thin and light form factor, the stylish Galaxy XCover Pro offers much more than a traditional enterprise device. Like the Galaxy Tab Active3, the Galaxy XCover Pro is IP68 water and dust resistant, capable of withstanding drops of up to 1.5 m, even without a case, and is MIL-STD 810G certified for reliable protection against extreme altitude, humidity, and other severe environmental conditions. 

POGO pin charging support and compatibility with third-party charging docks ensure the phone is powered as soon as the workday begins, and a 4,050 mAh battery lasts long after the day is done. For times when even more power is needed, the battery is replaceable¹¹.

The Galaxy XCover Pro allows users to tailor their experience with two programmable keys to create custom actions with one click. This functionality makes complicated workflows simple letting users open the scanner, turn on the flashlight or launch a CRM app all without swiping through apps, scrolling through menus, or even looking at the screen¹².

The Galaxy XCover Pro offers a clear, edge-to-edge 6.3” FHD+ Infinity Display with an enhanced touchscreen able to work in any condition, including rain. For users in the field, glove mode allows for gloves-on use and the new voice to text message feature provides real-time dictation and messaging for simple, convenient communication¹³.

Full-field solution

The Galaxy XCover Pro meets the needs of the mobile enterprise and features everything customers have come to expect from Samsung. Professionals and field workers can enjoy their favourite mobile solutions from Samsung’s broad partner ecosystem, making it easier to manage inventory and process payments immediately and communicate on the go.

The Samsung Galaxy XCover Pro offers the best of both worlds: the power and versatility of a smartphone, plus the durability and one-button access to key features, for example easy access to Microsoft Teams.

Easily transforming into a walkie talkie, Samsung has partnered with Microsoft to introduce Microsoft Teams to the Galaxy XCover Pro’s push-to-talk feature. By doing so, users can stay connected to their teams throughout their day with a push of a button.

Collaboration with other software and hardware solutions from KOAMTAC and Scandit, also enable users such as retail associates to conduct inventory tracking with barcode scanning.

Defense-grade security

The Galaxy Tab Active3 is the first business rugged tablet to be Enterprise Edition¹⁴ - ready out of the box. Enterprise Edition includes a set of mobile services that provide administrators the ability to easily and quickly secure, deploy and manage mobile devices across a distributed workforce. This includes one year of Knox Suite, three years of market availability, and up to two years of security updates for the Galaxy XCover Pro and up to five years of security updates for the Galaxy Tab Active3.

The devices are also protected by Samsung Knox, Samsung’s security platform, as well as regular Android security updates. Samsung Knox can also be customised by IT administrators to manage the programmes and apps used across the business, giving complete control over the mobile fleet.

In addition, the Galaxy Tab Active3 and Galaxy XCover Pro will support up to three generations of Android OS upgrades, ensuring enterprises are protected from evolving security threats.

Enterprise-grade scanning

A new solution available for the Samsung’s Ruggedise lineup is Knox Capture, which will be available from March. Powered by Scandit’s capture engine, Knox Capture readily turns the device’s camera into a barcode scanner, with no additional accessories and add-ons required.

Details:

The new Galaxy Tab Active3 is now available at a recommended retail price of S$698 and S$798 (including GST) for the Wi-Fi and LTE variants respectively, at Samsung’s telco enterprise partners Singtel, Starhub, M1, as well as authorised distributors Ingram and ACA Pacific. The Galaxy XCover Pro will be available in March.

Product specifications

Galaxy Tab Active3
Processor		CPU Speed 2.7GHz,1.7GHz		CPU Type Octa-Core
Display		Size (Main Display) 8.0" (203.1mm)		Resolution (Main Display) 1920 x 1200 (WUXGA)
		Technology (Main Display) PLS TFT LCD		Colour Depth (Main Display) 16M
S Pen Support		Yes
Camera		Rear Camera – Resolution 13.0 MP		Rear Camera – Auto Focus Yes
		Front Camera –Resolution 5.0 MP		Rear Camera – Flash Yes
		Video Recording Resolution UHD 4K (3840 x 2160) @30fps
Memory		RAM Size (GB) 4GB		ROM Size (GB) 64GB
		Available Memory (GB) 48.6GB		External Memory Support MicroSD (Up to 1TB)
Connectivity		Network WiFi only or 4G LTE		USB Version USB Type-C
		Bluetooth Version Bluetooth v5.0		Bluetooth Profiles A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, HID, HOGP, HSP, MAP, OPP, PAN, PBAP
		Wi-Fi Direct Yes		Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax 2.4G+5GHz, HE80, MIMO, 1024-QAM
		NFC Yes		Earjack 3.5mm Stereo
		Location Technology GPS, Glonass, Beidou, Galileo
OS		Android 10
Sensors		Accelerometer, Fingerprint Sensor, Gyro Sensor, Geomagnetic Sensor, Hall Sensor, RGB Light Sensor, Proximity Sensor
Physical specification		Dimension (HxWxD, mm) 126.8 x 213.8 x 9.9		Weight (g) 429
Battery		Internet Usage Time (Wi-Fi) (Hours) Up to 11		Internet Usage Time (LTE) (Hours) Up to 10
		Video Playback Time (Hours) Up to 11		Battery Capacity (mAh, Typical) 5050
		Removable Yes

  

Galaxy XCover Pro
Processor		CPU Speed 2.3GHz, 1.7GHz		CPU Type Octa-Core
Display		Technology (Main Display) PLS TFT LCD		Colour Depth (Main Display) 16M
		Technology (Main Display) PLS TFT LCD		Colour Depth (Main Display) 16M
Camera		Rear Camera – Resolution 25.0 MP + 8.0 MP		Rear Camera – Auto Focus Yes
		Front Camera – Resolution 13.0 MP		Rear Camera – Flash Yes
		Video Recording Resolution FHD (1920 x 1080) @30fps
Memory		RAM Size (GB) 4GB		ROM Size (GB) 64GB
		Available Memory (GB) 49.2GB		External Memory Support MicroSD (Up to 512 GB)
Connectivity		Network 4G LTE		USB Version USB Type-C
		Bluetooth Version Bluetooth v5.0		NFC Yes
		Wi-Fi Direct Yes		Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax 2.4G+5GHz, HE80, MIMO, 10 24-QAM
		Location Technology GPS, Glonass, Beidou, Galileo		Earjack 3.5mm Stereo
OS		Android 10
Sensors		Accelerometer, Fingerprint Sensor, Gyro Sensor, Geomagnetic Sensor, Proximity Sensor, Virtual Light Sensing
Physical specification		Dimension (HxWxD, mm) 159.9 x 76.7 x 9.9		Weight (g) 218
Battery		Internet Usage Time (Wi-Fi) (Hours) Up to 15		Internet Usage Time (LTE) (Hours) Up to 14vb j
		Video Playback Time (Hours) Up to 11		Battery Capacity (mAh, Typical) 4050
		Removable Yes

 

1 Rugged Smartphones & Tablets in Asia Pacific whitepaper produced and prepared by Tech Research Asia in April 2020. Data was collected through a qualitative survey of 1,377 IT and line of business decision makers in eight countries in Asia Pacific, including Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

2 The No Battery Mode option must be added to Quick Panel via settings before use. It requires a dedicated power source accessory and once enabled may limit device CPU performance and reduce brightness and maximum volume.

3 IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Rugged Mobile Devices 2020 Vendor Assessment, (Doc # US46826320), September 2020.

4 Water and dust resistant based on IP68 rating under IEC standard 60529, which tests submersion in fresh water up to 1.5 m for up to 30 minutes. Resistance may decrease as a result of normal wear. Rinse residue/dry if wet.

5 When tested on a flat surface. Without its protective casing, the device can withstand a drop of up to 1.2 m. The Tab Active3 will be sold with a case to withstand drops of up to 1.5 m. Actual results may vary.

6 Typical value tested under third-party laboratory conditions. Typical value is the estimated average value considering deviation in battery capacity among the battery samples tested under IEC 61960 standard. Rated (minimum) capacity is 4,900 mAh. Actual battery life may vary depending on network environment, usage patterns and other factors.

7 A third-party app or solution required to use Push-To-Talk.

8 A third-party app or solution required to use this barcode scanning.

9 A third-party app or solution required to use tablet as a mobile point-of-sale (mPOS).

10 Applies to standard thin work gloves.

11 Additional battery sold separately.

12 For programmable keys, the Knox licence must be purchased separately.

13 Language availability may vary depending on country.

14 Each Enterprise Edition device includes a one-year seat of Knox Suite, starting from the date of licence activation. Following the first year, customers may purchase a Knox Suite license renewal through their Samsung reseller.