Samsung has unveiled two new military-specific smartphones: the Galaxy S23 Tactical Edition and the Galaxy XCover 6 Pro Tactical Edition. These phones are built for durability in extreme conditions and follow the successful Galaxy S20 Tactical Edition. Notably, they won’t be available to the general public but are designed to support military personnel in various assignments and environments. The Galaxy XCover 6 Pro Tactical Edition has earned MIL-STD-810H certification, proving its resilience against extreme weather conditions and its ability to withstand submersion in up to 5 feet of water for 30 minutes. In contrast, the Galaxy S23 Tactical Edition boasts an impressive IP68 rating and is encased in a rugged military-grade housing suitable for chest or forearm mounting. Both phones include a night vision mode and glove-friendly auto-touch sensitivity. They support external GPS, drone feeds, and laser range finders for improved mission efficiency. Communication capabilities encompass tactical radio and mission device protocols, as well as standard cellular connectivity like LTE, CBRS, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi. Stealth Mode disables LTE and e-911, ensuring secure, off-grid communication. Samsung Knox provides hardware-level encryption, and Dual Data at Rest (DualDAR) offers added security. Serverless license activation allows versatile deployment. Running Android 13-based One UI 5.1, both phones come with the Android Team Awareness Kit (ATAK) for situational awareness and the Battlefield Assisted Trauma Distributed Observation Kit (BATDOK) for real-time patient encounter information. Support for Samsung DeX and dual VPN chaining enhances security. The cost of these smartphones remains undisclosed as they are exclusively intended for military operators and not accessible to the general consumer market.
