Samsung has unveiled a new smartphone – but unlike the Galaxy S9, you won't be able to buy the device, ever.
While this new product has some desirable features, including a massive swappable battery, the PR team for the company has kept mum about it, so much so that we don't even know the name of the device.
Unveiled at this year's BAPCO, a UK-based public safety technology event, the smartphone will be deployed to frontline emergency staff such as police officers, firefighter and paramedics as part of the roll-out of the Emergency Services Network (or ESN) after Samsung was chosen to supply phones for the network by the UK Home Office late last year.
The current ESN services, known as Airwave, will be phased out and replaced by 'Public Safety-LTE' 4G, which will allow for new features such as live video broadcasting and quicker access to records and intelligence.
A phone fit for an outdoor lifestyle
The new Samsung smartphone is likely to be based on an existing Galaxy range (most likely the A or J-series, and definitely not the Active version of the Galaxy S9), with some unique features like a push-to-talk button and the largest battery on any Samsung phone: a 4500mAh removable unit that can be swapped out in the field.
Other features include a back cover held by a single screw, pogo-style connectors for instant charging, a USB port, physical navigation buttons (great for use with gloves), front and rear cameras and a triple LED flash. As expected, this phone can take more than a few knocks thanks to an IP68 rating and MIL-STD-810G compliance.
For now, the exact details of the device remain a mystery, but TechRadar Pro will bring you updates as soon as we know more.
- Check out our best rugged smartphone buying guide
