CES 2019 | CAT S48c rugged phone coming to the US via Verizon

Since most users are not looking for devices that can handle extreme conditions, Cat Phones is not releasing new devices too often, and when a new CAT handset shows up, is technical specs usually fail to impress. The CAT S48c is such a device, its main selling point being the ability to handle a lot of hazards and the generous battery life that provides much more than 24 hours of 3G talk time.

According to the official press release, the CAT S48c is rated IP68 for protection from water and dust, but it can also go through drops, vibration, hazardous work environments, and extreme temperatures ranging from -13⁰F to 131⁰F. This 5-inch MIL-SPEC 810G-rated handset has a full HD touchscreen protected using a Corning Gorilla Glass 5 and can be used with gloves or wet hands if needed. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 630 processor is fast enough for most daily tasks, especially since the handset also sports 4 GB of memory and 64 GB of internal storage (expandable via a microSD card).

The CAT S48c comes loaded with Android Oreo, but an update to Android Pie should be provided at a later date. Finally, we should also mention the 4,000 mAh battery that can deliver up to 30 hours of talk time on 3G.

Verizon Business and Enterprise customers can acquire the CAT S48c already for a full retail price of US$599.99 or US$249.99 (with a two-year contract). Last year, Sprint introduced the CAT S48c in the US.