Samsung is working on a ruggedized version of the Galaxy S8.
Samsung has released rugged variants of its flagships exclusively on AT&T for a few years, and it looks like the company will continue that trend with the Galaxy S8. According to the folks over at SamMobile, Samsung is working on the Galaxy S8 Active with a model number SM-G892A codenamed Cruiser that’s destined for AT&T.
Like its predecessors, the Galaxy S8 Active will likely be based on the standard Galaxy S8, albeit with a ruggedized exterior. The Galaxy S8 and S8+ are IP68 certified dust and water resistant, but Samsung in previous years has rolled out devices compliant with the U.S. military’s MIL-STD-810G rating for withstanding temperature extremes, altitude, shock, and other environmental variables. The S8 Active will likely retain the rating, but with the certification relying on simulated testing in lab conditions and not real-world usage scenarios, you shouldn’t rely on it too much.
That said, you can look forward to a device that is much more rugged than the standard GS8 or S8+. Unlike previous generations, the Galaxy S8 doesn’t have a home button at front nor any capacitive navigation buttons, so it’ll be interesting to see how Samsung refines its design aesthetic for the S8 Active considering it is marketing the Infinity Display as a core feature.
The manufacturer’s previous launch cycles suggest we’ll see the Galaxy S8 Active make its debut sometime in the month of June, and we’ll let you know once we hear more about the phone.