For most of us, there’s no leaving behind our smartphones anymore — even on outdoor adventures that aren’t kind to fragile technology.
That’s not surprising, given their usefulness as both a camera and emergency communication. But the average iPhone or Samsung Galaxy isn’t built to withstand much abuse, even if they take great photos or offer backcountry service, as some iPhones now do.
So there’s likely an audience for the rugged smartphone design that debuts Monday, Sept. 7, on Kickstarter. The Xsnap 7 Pro not only offers users a smartphone that’s built to take a beating — it also has a detachable action camera. If the Xsnap 7 Pro lives up to the marketing, and pulls double duty as both a rugged smartphone and action camera, it could be a tempting alternative for outdoor content creators.
RugOne: Chinese Innovation
The Xsnap 7 is the latest offering from Chinese brand RugOne, one of two “rugged smartphone” brands owned by parent company Gotron. RugOne’s sister brand, Ulefone, specializes in durable phones with thermal imaging, which can be helpful for “finding a leak, a gap in insulation, or an electrical fault” as well as “locating livestock in the dark,” the brand said.
RugOne, which has been around for about 15 years, seems to focus on other niche devices. Its previous Kickstarter was for the Xlink 7, an AI-powered walkie-talkie that only raised about $10,000. The brand has also made the Xever 8, a rugged smartphone with a swappable battery and a “super speaker” capable of producing 117 decibels (that’s pretty loud).
But RugOne has higher hopes for the Xsnap 7, which debuts at the IFA Berlin trade show this weekend, right as the Kickstarter launches Friday, Sept. 4. The brand calls the Xsnap 7 the “world’s first rugged smartphone with a detachable professional action camera.”
While other brands (mostly Chinese) have released videos of similar concepts, RugOne seems to be the first to actually bring the idea to the market.
Xsnap 7: Details
According to early specs released by RugOne, both the Xsnap 7’s phone and camera have some impressive features.
Action Cam
The action cam detaches from the phone and easily plugs back in when you’re done. It’s supposedly waterproof to about 15 feet (5 m), offers a 133° field of view, and records video up to 2.7K at 30 fps. It also has stabilization technology to handle rapid movement. There’s also quite a bit of flexibility in how you use the camera.
It’s usable while attached to the phone, but can also be mounted in several ways once detached. A Magnet Pendant and Universal Mount allow the action cam to move between handheld, wearable, and mounted positions.
Once fully charged by the phone, the camera can record for up to 40 minutes. The phone itself serves as the main control for the camera, as well as the video storage. It can recharge the camera up to 20 times, for up to 800 minutes of total recording, according to RugOne.
The Phone
Outside of the detachable action camera, the phone itself aims to withstand the elements as well. It sports several nifty features, including a 6.67-inch 120Hz AMOLED display, a 9,300mAh battery, and infrared night vision.
There’s also satellite connectivity and integrated AI. The rugged build has 6 feet (2 m) of water resistance for up to 24 hours, 4.5 feet of drop resistance (1.5 m), and will supposedly stay usable from freezing temperatures (–4°F) to Death Valley–level heat (131°F).
Pricing & Comparison
The Xsnap 7 Pro is available through the brand’s Kickstarter campaign, which opens Monday, Sept. 7. Early-bird pricing allows backers to snag this cool-sounding gadget for a cool $1,000.
That price tag is more expensive than most iPhone models, but cheaper than many iPhone Pro models. The iPhone 17 Pro Max, for example, starts at $1,200. However, it’s worth noting that the Xsnap 7 Pro’s frame is made from an aluminum alloy — the same as most iPhones.
The iPhone 15 was a notable exception in Apple’s lineup because it sported a titanium frame, which is arguably more durable than an aluminum alloy. There’s also the Samsung Galaxy XCover7 Pro, a smartphone designed for onsite workers that offers similar durability to the Xsnap 7 Pro and costs about $600.
