Motorola's DEFY is one of the more attractive ruggedized devices we've seen in recent memory, and it's not a bad all-around handset either. That's why it shouldn't come as a surprise that Motorola may be planning two more toughened phones that resemble the DEFY. According to Eldar Murtazin, the two devices will be coming some time in the summer of 2011 and will be low-cost, full-touch phones that, while ruggedized, will only be IP54 certified (the DEFY was IP67 certified). This means that they'll be able to withstand dirt, rain, dust, etc., but won't be able to survive being fully submerged in water, which is sure to make reviewing the devices slightly less fun compared to the DEFY, which many reviewers dunked with reckless abandon.
It's kind of disappointing to see that Motorola's upcoming rugged handsets won't be quite so rugged, but I suppose that's the trade-off that comes with having a lower cost. If the phones are coming out in the summer of next year, we should be seeing something within the next month or two, so if you're on the lookout for a tough device, stay tuned. How many of you have purchased or would consider purchasing a ruggedized handset?
Via Phone Arena, Mobile Review