This rugged phone features thermal camera and kill switch for mic & cameras

Readers interested in rugged phones might already be familiar with Oukitel. The company recently announced the WP500 Ultra, a smartphone touted to feature a kill switch for disabling its cameras and microphone at the hardware level. Such a feature could provide extra security during sensitive meetings, for example.

Measuring 177.2 × 82.6 × 22.9 mm (6.97 × 3.25 × 0.90 in) and weighing 414.3 g (14.61 oz), the WP500 Ultra is quite bulky and hefty due to its rugged design and relatively large battery. It is well protected against water and dust ingress, meeting the requirements of IP68, IP69K, and MIL-STD-810H. The built-in battery offers a 10,000 mAh capacity and supports 45-watt fast charging. According to official specs, it features both a thermal imaging camera and a night-vision camera. Boasting a resolution of 640 × 512 pixels, the thermal camera can reportedly detect temperature differences less than 40 millikelvin, with a measurement uncertainty of 2°C or 2% of the reading. This type of camera can be useful for identifying thermal bridges or assessing whether a surface is safe to touch.

The WP500 Ultra is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 8300, an SoC with an integrated 5G modem. It comes with 12 GB of memory and either 512 GB or 1 TB of internal storage, depending on the model. Storage can also be expanded using a memory card. The WP500 Ultra is scheduled to hit the shelves on June 9. For an alternative with similar features, you might want to consider the Blackview Rock 3.