Samsung’s rugged XCover line dates again to 2010 and began off with function telephones, however even when it switched to smartphones it was by no means a premium line. For robust + premium there was the Galaxy S Lively line.

The Samsung Galaxy S4 Lively was launched in 2013. This was the primary S-phone with an IP ranking for mud and water resistance – IP67, that means “mud tight” and “immersion as much as 1m/3.3ft” for half an hour. This was a 12 months earlier than the Galaxy S5, which had each an IP67 ranking and a detachable again cowl (although as it’s possible you’ll bear in mind the S6 dropped the IP ranking earlier than the S7 reintroduced it).

There have been just a few downgrades, just like the show was an LCD as an alternative of Tremendous AMOLED and was protected by Gorilla Glass 2 (as an alternative of GG3 like on the common S4). Additionally, the principle digital camera was knocked down from 13MP to 8MP. Apparently, the Galaxy S4 Lively used a Snapdragon 600 chipset as an alternative of the same old Exynos 5410 Octa. Samsung later launched an Superior model of the Galaxy S4 with a extra highly effective Snapdragon 800 and added an Lively model of that one too

Samsung Galaxy S4 Lively • Samsung Galaxy S4 • Samsung Galaxy S4 Lively LTE-A • Samsung Galaxy S4

Subsequent 12 months introduced the Galaxy S5, a telephone that already had a mud and water resistance, so an S Lively made even much less sense. Nonetheless, the Galaxy S5 Lively launched as an AT&T unique.

For the S5 Lively it added MIL-STD-810F testing to the combo. The S Lively telephones additionally appeared the half with grippy textures on their again panels and uncovered screws.

The Samsung Galaxy S5 Lively appeared the half

The Galaxy S5 Lively one was rather a lot nearer to the common S5, with the identical Tremendous AMOLED show, similar digital camera and similar chipset. The one two downgrades have been the lacking wi-fi charging and the microUSB port, which was again to USB 2.0 (the Galaxy S5 was one of many few telephones to make use of microUSB 3.0).

Samsung Galaxy S5 Lively • Samsung Galaxy S5

You will have seen the bodily buttons on the entrance. Not that uncommon for the period, the S4 and S5 nonetheless had bodily Residence buttons. Nonetheless, the S Actives additionally had bodily Again and Menu buttons as an alternative of capacitive like on the city-slicker S-phones.

These work when moist and when you’re carrying gloves, capacitive buttons are rather a lot much less dependable in such conditions. Sadly, the brand new, chunky Residence button didn’t have a built-in fingerprint reader (and the reader wasn’t relocated wherever, the Actives simply didn’t have one). Samsung missed the chance so as to add a customizable button for additional actions, although it did appropriate that mistake afterward.

The Samsung Galaxy S6 Lively was additionally an AT&T unique. This one was extra mandatory than the S5 Lively because the common S6 lacked the mud and water resistance of the S5. Nonetheless, it was additionally the primary Galaxy S with a non-removable battery and it bought numerous hate for that.

Absolutely the outdoorsy S6 Lively had a user-accessible battery, proper? Flawed, however at the least Samsung bumped the capability from 2,550mAh on the usual S6 to three,500mAh on the S6 Lively (and this time it saved the wi-fi charging). This had an enormous affect on battery life because it boosted the Endurance ranking in our checks from 73 hours to 109 hours. The whole lot else was kind of the identical, save for the IP68 ranking (as much as 1.5m/5ft beneath water for half-hour).

Samsung Galaxy S6 lively • Samsung Galaxy S6

One other 12 months, one other rugged flagship. The Galaxy S7 reintroduced the IP ranking (IP68), the Galaxy S7 Lively simply added MIL-STD-810G compliance on prime of that. It had a plastic again as an alternative of a glass one, which stood a greater probability of surviving drops and knocks. The battery was bigger once more (4,000mAh vs. 3,000mAh), although this time it had a a lot smaller affect on the Endurance ranking (96h vs. 80h).

The S7 Lively used a Snapdragon 820 chipset as an alternative of the Exynos 8890, however that’s much less of a shock contemplating that it was as soon as once more a telephone constructed for AT&T.

Samsung Galaxy S7 lively • Samsung Galaxy S7

And test this out – the Residence button had a fingerprint reader in it! Even higher, the amount rocker on the aspect was changed by the Exercise button. Utilizing the Exercise Zone app you can set actions to be carried out on a brief press, lengthy press and double press.

The Exercise Zone app on the Galaxy S7 Lively

By default a single faucet launched the app, which confirmed helpful information like climate, a barometer/altitude studying and compass. You can additionally activate the flashlight, launch the digital camera to take a photograph and so forth, even when the telephone was underwater.

Climbing with the Galaxy S7 Lively

Flipping the calendar over to 2017 we discover the Samsung Galaxy S8 Lively. As it’s possible you’ll recall, the Galaxy S8 was a significant redesign that adopted a curved display and dropped the buttons from the entrance. Lastly, time for the bodily buttons of S Lively telephones to shine… oops, they went away too, the fingerprint reader was relocated to the again. As for the entrance, at the least Samsung caught with a flat display so you can extra simply add a display protector. The Exercise Button went away too, changed by the Bixby Button.

This 12 months there have been variations of the Galaxy S8 Lively for AT&T, T-Cell and Dash. The chipset because the Snapdragon 835, similar because the North American model of the common S8. The battery was larger as soon as once more, 4,000mAh vs. 3,000mAh (111h vs. 84h Endurance).

Samsung Galaxy S8 Lively • Samsung Galaxy S8

This was the top of the Galaxy S Lively sequence. An S9 Lively handed via the rumor mill, however no such telephone was ever launched. Samsung didn’t surrender on robust S-phones, as an alternative it shifted to a distinct goal market – the navy.

The Samsung Galaxy S9 Tactical Version had entry to particular tactical radios and apps with names straight out of a Hollywood film – ATAK (Android Group Consciousness Package), KILSWITCH (Kinetic Built-in Light-weight SoftWare Particular person Tactical Fight Handheld) and extra.

Samsung Galaxy S9 Tactical Version

Subsequent up was the Samsung Galaxy S20 Tactical Version. This too was loaded with tactical and categorized functions plus a “DualDAR structure” with two-layer encryption based mostly on NSA requirements.

Samsung Galaxy S20 Tactical Version

The most recent within the sequence is the Samsung Galaxy S23 Tactical Version, which was joined by an XCover6 Professional Tactical Version. These additionally had DualDAR safety together with issues like ATAK, BATDOK (Battlefield Assisted Trauma Distributed Remark Package) and DeX, which permits troopers to entry safe VPN.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Tactical Version and XCover6 Professional Tactical Version

There are Galaxy Tab Lively tablets as nicely, which we skipped to concentrate on the telephones. Nonetheless, the newest entry is the Galaxy Tab Active4 Professional from final 12 months, so the tablets outlasted the S Lively telephones. However these are extra like XCover tablets than a flagship providing (they’re actually less than Tab S requirements).

Chances are high that Samsung will proceed making Tactical Version telephones going ahead, the XCover telephones too (moreover the navy, Walmart is a fan of these). However we doubt that we’ll see one other Galaxy S Lively telephone.

Different makers have largely given up on rugged telephones too, outdoors of the manufacturers specializing in it. For instance, there may be the Motorola Defy and Defy 2, however these have been made by the Bullitt Group, which additionally makes Cat-branded telephones. There are additionally the likes of Doogee and Oukitel who make workman telephones with evening imaginative and prescient cameras, thermal cameras and options that might be helpful on the worksite.

Do you assume there may be nonetheless a spot out there for rugged flagships?