Kyocera is a specialist in producing rugged smartphones, specifically for the US and Japanese markets. The firm’s newest model is the Hydro Reach: a 4G phone with IP57 waterproof certification.
Full immersion in up to 1m of water, for up to 30 minutes, will not damage the Hydro Reach. Its 5″ (960 x 540) touchscreen can also be operated while wet, although the phone itself should not be used while underwater.
Eco Mode and ‘MaxiMZR’ technologies extend battery life. The 2,160mAh battery will provide up to 12 hours of talk time as standard. However, this can be extended. Eco Mode will shut down non-critical features, while MaxiMZR will close unused data connections.
A 1.1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor runs Android 5.1. 8GB of storage and 1GB of RAM are also built in. Kyocera is selling the phone in the USA now, through Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile, for $100.
