Can the Samsung Galaxy Rugged devices hold up to the needs of Kruger Construction?

Construction contractor Murray Kruger reports that the Samsung Galaxy XCover6 Pro and Galaxy Tab Active4 Pro have what it takes to survive harsh conditions in construction

Content created in partnership with Financial Post 

You probably can’t find a better company to test the toughness of the Samsung Galaxy Rugged lineup of tablets and smartphones than Kruger Construction of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. And you likely won’t find someone more willing to test the limits of the Samsung Galaxy XCover6 Pro and Samsung Galaxy Tab Active4 Pro than owner Murray Kruger.

The Samsung Galaxy Rugged lineup was developed in response to the needs of industries that required mobile devices that are dependable, durable and functional under a wide range of working conditions, even the most demanding environments. A 2022 survey of Toronto Construction Association members by Samsung Electronics Canada revealed that more than 40 per cent of respondents felt their current mobile devices are not built to withstand their job environments.

Kruger Construction specializes in insurance repairs and renovations — possibly one of the harshest construction environments, offering smoke, ash, flooded basements, toxic fumes and temperatures far below freezing. Kruger has been in the business for 22 years and launched his own contracting company in 2012.

What’s the number one tool used in his contracting business?

“A mobile phone is our most important tool and also our most-used tool,” Kruger says. “We use it to take calls from clients, schedule work, talk to suppliers, perform calculations, take pictures, take measurements, check our calendars and browse the web on the go.”

Both the Galaxy XCover6 Pro and Galaxy Tab Active4 Pro have earned an IP68 rating[1] and meet MIL-STD-810H[2] standards for durability in harsh environments. Resistant to scratches, water, and dust, these devices can also withstand drops of up to 1.5 metres as well as function at extreme altitudes and temperatures. Enhanced Glove mode allows the screens of both devices to remain touch-responsive, even when the user wears leather gloves[3].

“We’re hard on our phones,” Kruger says. “We throw them in our tool belts and tool bags. Responding to an emergency, the phone is sitting on your lap and when you hop out of your vehicle, it falls on the ground. At first glance, the Samsung Galaxy XCover6 Pro looked like a slim, top-of-the-line phone without a huge, molded case, but it was tougher than we ever expected.”

During the two-month testing phase, the device was subjected to the routine abuse of dirt, falls and moisture. Then the construction crew got creative.

“We got so rough that I was thinking we might need a backup phone ready to go,” Kruger says. “We sprayed sawdust on it and splashed it with water, then dropped it off sawhorses and worktables. We even dropped the phone in a snowbank at minus 23°C and the battery held out fine — the screen wasn’t even lagging.”

With the speaker volume being very loud, Kruger used the device in speaker mode while leaving it on top of a ladder. Then he accidentally bumped the ladder.

Passing every test with flying colours, Kruger next introduced the smartphone to the company’s secret weapon… Dave.

“Dave is definitely hard on all our tools, and he goes through smartphones like paper towels,” Kruger says. “He figured the screen was so massive he would break it right away. After dropping it over and over, he gave it back to us caked with dust, dirt and drywall mud. When we washed it off, it was good to go.”

Kruger also put the Samsung Galaxy Tab Active4 Pro through its paces. He tends to use a tablet in the sheltered cab of his truck to write emails or fill out forms using the embedded S Pen where the bigger screen is welcome. But he dutifully repeated the same range of tests on the jobsite — drop, splash, and drop it in a snowbank.

“We bashed that thing around and it came up just as clean,” he says. “But one feature that really stood out for us in a cold Saskatchewan winter was how easy it was to swap batteries. Instead of having to recharge, we just kept an extra battery charged on hand, popped off the back and swapped. We found that this was just as easy with the Galaxy XCover6 Pro. It’s the same type of ease we expect with all our power tools.”

The crew also noted that both devices provided excellent connectivity, even behind steel barricades or in flooded basements. The Galaxy XCover6 Pro in particular supports 5G[4] as well as Wi-Fi 6E[5] for hyper-fast connectivity.

“I sometimes get worried when I test a new tool that it’s going to fail quickly and this will end the trial straight away,” Kruger says. “Not only did we not break these devices — their performance exceeded our expectations.”

For more information on Samsung Galaxy Rugged devices visit the Samsung Canada website.

— 

[1] IP68 rating: Water resistant in up to 1.5 meters of fresh water for up to 30 minutes and protected from dust, dirt and sand. Rinse residue/dry after wet. Not advised for beach or pool use.

[2] MIL-STD-810H Certification: Altitude, Humidity, Immersion, Salt Fog, Dust, Vibration, Drop, etc. MIL-STD-810H is a standardized form of testing designed by the US Military to accurately assess device limitations.

[3] Touch Sensitivity increases responsiveness for leather gloves thinner than 2mm or less in thickness, based on internal laboratory test results.

[4] 5G network connection available in select markets. Download and streaming speeds may vary based on market, carrier, content provider, server connection and user environment. Check with your carrier for availability and details.

[5] Wi-Fi 6E network availability may vary by market, network provider and user environment. Requires optimal connection. Will require a Wi-Fi 6E router.