Samsung has had reasonable success with its Galaxy S4 Active ruggedised, waterproof handset and is therefore tempted by the idea of similar follow-up device based on the Galaxy Note 3 and next year's Galaxy S5, it is claimed.
Korea's Electronic Times says that industry sources reveal that the manufacturer wants to make an Active version of the latest handset in its range, the 5.7-inch Note 3. In addition, they claim that the Samsung Galaxy S5 will be water and dust proof from the box, much like Sony's premium phones, the Xperia Z and Xperia Z1.
Read: Samsung Galaxy Note 3 review
The Samsung Galaxy S4 Active swapped some of the original S4's specifications for beefy looks and a sturdy body. It also featured a camera that could work underwater, and therefore had a new mode that made shots look better when they were taken in to a pool or in the sea. If Samsung was to adopt similar features for its S5, it is unlikely that it would want to increase the size or weight of the phone, so we suspect only the waterproofing technology will be employed.
As for a more rugged Note 3, surely that would start to invoke the spirit of mobile phones from the 80s. Super large and bulky. That's the Motorola DynaTac 8000X all over again.