News has surfaced (via MSPU) of the Indian launch of another Windows 10 Mobile business device - even tougher and more expensive that the HP Elite x3! This one's made by Panasonic for enterprises and each unit is over £1000. Specs are lower (right down to 720p screen!), but then the IP67-certified FZ-F1 is all about ruggedness, think building sites, dockyards and war zones, with the military and police.

Panasonic apparently announced this phone back in February of 2016 at MWC, but availability has been widely delayed and this is the first I've heard of it in the real world.

From WindowsAble:

At an event in Hyderabad today, Panasonic launched three new ‘rugged’ devices for India’s several defense and law enforcement forces as well as companies in the automobile, pharmaceuticals and the oil & gas industries.

The three devices launched for the Indian market today include two phones and one tablet. The Toughpad FZ-N1 phone and FZ-A2 tablet are both powered by Google’s Android. The Toughpad FZ-F1, however, is a Windows 10 IoT Mobile Enterprise powered device.

Panasonic has been making rugged devices such as these for quite a while. The Japanese giant designed the FZ-N1 and FZ-F1 after taking into account the feedback from its customers.

Apparently, Panasonic’s previous devices were too rugged, with its customers willing to sacrifice some of that durability for a lighter and slimmer device. That’s what the FZ-N1 and FZ-F1 deliver.

The two devices are identical when it comes to specifications; it’s essentially the same device running either Android or Windows 10 IoT Mobile Enterprise.

These devices might be less rugged than their predecessors, but they are still rated for the U.S. Military’s MIL-STD-810G standard, covering a broad range of environmental hazards. The MIL-STD-810G standard tests device in low-pressure environments for high altitude operation, as well as exposure to high and low temperatures while in use and while idle. The devices are also exposed to rain and tested for rust with exposure to fungus, humidity, and salt fog.

Windows 10 IoT Mobile Enterprise is essentially Windows 10 Mobile but with native support for barcode scanning, multiple user profiles and an advanced lockdown mode. User profiles, eh? We could do with those in the mainstream SKU of Windows 10 Mobile, to make up for the removal of Apps Corner recently.

Features include:

• Angled barcode scanner drives productivity
• Industry leading quad-core processor by Qualcomm®
• Dual SIM multi-carrier data support with cellular voice capability
• High volume 100db speaker with noise suppression and echo cancellation microphone
• MIL-STD-810G, 6' Drop, All-weather IP65 and IP67 Dust and Water-resistant design
• Patented rain sensing and glove touch enabled screen technology

From the Panasonic site we get a reminder of the FZ-F1 specs:

HARDWARE & SOFTWARE	Windows 10 IoT Mobile Enterprise Qualcomm® MSM8974AB 2.3GHz Quad Core.
DURABILITY	IP65 (high-pressure jet spray) and IP67 (submersible up to 3.3ft. for 30 minutes)
DISPLAY	4.7 inch high definition 1280 x 720 sunlight-viewable display; 10-point capacitive multi-touch with rain sensing and glove touch mode, optional stylus pen (Active or Passive)
POWER SUPPLY	Quick charging 3200 mAh Li-Ion standard battery pack, and optional 6200 mAh long life battery back; Warm Swap capability
INTERFACE & EXPANSION	Angled 1D/2D barcode reader, NFC, GPS, MicroSD, Dual SIM, USB 2.0 port(micro USB) x 1
WIRELESS	Wifi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac; 4G LTE, HSPA+, UMTS, EDGE, GPRS, CDMA 1x, EVDO Rev.A
WEIGHT	Approx. 0.61 lbs.
WARRANTY	3-year limited warranty, parts and labor

See also the full product specification PDF.

In short, move on, nothing to see for general Windows 10 enthusiasts, other than the knowledge that vertical equipment suppliers are still very serious about using Windows 10 Mobile - even if this particular gadget also comes in an Android version too!

(via MSPU)