Big screen, big battery and useful tools for outdoor enthusiasts – that’s what we expect from rugged phones. But hefting one around can be like putting a brick in your pocket. Fossibot’s latest effort shrinks the formula down a bit.
Fossibot has just launched the F116 Pro rugged phone on Kickstarter. The palm-sized travel companion is reported to have been inspired by actioncams, and rocks a universal 1/4-inch screw mount for compatibility with a bunch of accessories plus physical controls for quickfire application.
Fossibot
Instead of the (almost) 7-inch screens we’re seeing on other rugged phones these days, this pint-sized pocket pal sports a 4-inch 120-Hz display with an impressive 322 pixels per inch. That means it measures just 4.5 x 2.3 inches (114.5 x 59.6 mm), but is still a chunky monkey at just under an inch thick (23 mm).
It will also add 7.4 oz (210 g) to your everyday carry, surfboard or bike helmet. That’s significantly lighter than full-size models from the likes of Oukitel and Ulefone, but still much heavier than regular smartphones. Though promising “action camera-style usability,” the scales will always favor actual actioncams too.
However, if you’re looking to cut down on the number of gadgets you have to haul into the wild, the F116 Pro could come in handy. The dual-camera setup includes panoramic full-view capture, electronic image stabilization, ultra-wide-angle shooting and a 152.6-degree field of view among its arsenal.
There’s a dedicated shutter button, allowing the system to bring up the actioncam video mode onscreen with one press and start recording with a second. Other physical keys can be customized to suit workflow as well. Unusually, the main rear camera – a 50-megapixel snapper – has the outward appearance of a smaller unit compared to its wide-angle multi-element sibling, though the latter comes in at 48 MP. There’s also a 32-MP selfiecam punched in the screen.
Fossibot
The handset lives up to its rugged moniker with MIL-ST810H durability, as well as IP68 and IP69K certifications. That all adds up to it surviving drops from around 5 feet without needing a protective case, being able to swim with you while recording the action, and repelling attempts by dust and dirt to get at its internals.
Given its relatively diminutive proportions, the battery here is not going to worry the big boys in this space but Fossibot is still promising up to 330 minutes of 1080p video recording from the 3,700-mAh cells, 270 minutes in 2K or 230 minutes at 4K. The phone supports 33-W fast charging for top-ups to 80% capacity in just over an hour – so you won’t have to stop at the trail coffee hut for too long. If you feel like sharing, the handset supports 10-W reverse charging too.
Processing brains shape up with the mid-range Dimensity 7300 chipset from MediaTek, supported by 12 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage – which can be expanded via a 1 TB media card. For heavier loads, the phone can draw from virtual memory for a RAM boost to 36 GB.
The F116 Pro runs Android 16 out of the box, and features dual SIM slots. Together with 5G mobile connectivity, users can tap into Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.4 along with USB-C. Multi-system GPS is also supported for navigation.
Fossibot
You don’t get a powerful camp light with this one, but the rear “signal tower” can pulse to music in different colors, and alert the user to an incoming call or message without disturbing the campsite. And in case you place your phone down the wrong way up, there’s another “breathing light” to the front.
And that’s about it for the highlights. Fossibot has taken to Kickstarter to get the crowd excited enough to rumble the F116 Pro into production. Pledge levels currently start at US$279, representing a saving of 44% on the expected retail price.
Though crowdfunding projects always carry an element of risk, Fossibot already sells rugged phones in the real world outside of Kickstarter. Its first campaign on the platform has already blown past its modest funding goal with almost a month left on the clock, and backer queries are being answered quickly and openly. Development and manufacturing information is also shown on the campaign page.
If all goes to plan with the remainder of the campaign, free worldwide shipping is estimated to start from May.
FOSSiBOT F116 Pro is coming to Kickstarter: world 1st mini rugged phone with action camera
Source: Fossibot
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