If you've been looking for a phone that marries a modern smartphone with a classic candy-bar cellphone, all wrapped in a cocoon of toughness, you'll want to look no further than the Sonim XP6 on AT&T. At first glance you wouldn't think much of it — with its physical number pad, d pad, and call buttons it looks like any other hyper-ruggedized cellphone, complete with a little nub of a vestigal antenna sticking up in the top right corner. But then this black-and-yellow beast is turned on and that screen displays, of all things, Android 4.4 KitKat.
Yep, the Sonim XP6 combines the stylings, buttons, and bulk of an old-school ruggedized cellphone you might have found on on a construction site a decade ago with the tech of an entry-level smartphone. That display above all of those buttons is a 2.64-inch capacitive TFT number with a resolution of 320x432 for a pixel density of 204ppi. That's powered by a 1.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor with 1GB of RAM and 8GB of internal storage, though there's no indication of expandable storage. It does at least support LTE and mobile hotspot service, and have a 5MP rear camera (there's not one up front).
Inside the XP6's 0.81-inch-thick body you'll find a beastly 4820mAh battery good for a reported 16 hours of talk time or 45 days on standby. Though you'll pay a weight penalty at 9.52oz. That body is at least dust-, water-, and drop-resistant, with IP68, IP69, and MIL-STD 810G certifications. There's also support for push-to-talk on AT&T, with the stub antenna doubling as a housing for a front-facing loudspeaker pumping out 103db (the HTC One M8 only hits 95db with its stereo speakers).
With rugged specs to back up its rugged looks and a marginally-decent Android smartphone inside, the AT&T Sonim XP6 seems like it might find a home on a few work sites. The only qualm might come from the price — it's as low as $17.50 on AT&T's 30-month Next 24 payment plan, a whopping $149.99 up-front with a 2-year contract, or $524.99 off contract. At least it has a 3-year warranty, far longer than most other phones (though in three years you might be hating this phone in comparison to what we'll have in 2017).
We know there's a price to pay for highly-durable tech, but with specs that are borderline for a regular phone half this price off-contract, does the Sonim XP6 seem like it'd be worth the cost, especially when we've got phones like the CAT S50 out there?
Source: AT&T
We may earn a commission for purchases using our links. Learn more.

Review: Caseology’s Nano Pop is the best slim but sturdy Galaxy S21 case
There’s a mountain of Galaxy S21 cases out there for you to choose from, but Caseology finally brought over one of its iPhone-only series and it is 100% worth your attention and money. Make the S21 pop with bold colors and soft but secure grip.

How Google could improve Android apps for everyone, according to devs
When Android 12 finally arrives this fall, we want our favorite apps to be ready for it. There are a few ways Google could help make that happen.

Google Pixel 4a review, 6 months later: Still the best camera under $400
It turns out Google's "less is more" approach really fits well within the constraints of a less-expensive phone, and its strengths in software and camera processing stand out against less-refined competition. The Pixel 4a picks up right where the 3a left off, with better specs, the same great camera, and a $50 lower price.

Dropping the Note 20 Ultra would be a disaster. Protect it with a case!
Whether you prefer a heavy-duty case or a thin and shiny one that catches the light just right, there's a great Note 20 Ultra case out there for everyone.