Kyocera Breaks Into European Market With New 4G TORQUE Model

After some reasonable amount of success in Japan and the US, at least as far as its niche smartphone market goes, Kyocera is now trying its luck in Europe. It's entry into the market is a familiar name, but don't confuse this TORQUE with 2013's model. This new TORQUE boasts of some decent mid-range specs and even throws 4G LTE connectivity. All the while still delivering the same high-level of ruggedness, weather endurance, and durability that Kyocera's smartphones are quite known for.

To be fair, the Kyocera Torque we reviewed two years ago would have also been a mid-tier smartphone back then but it would hardly be an enticing choice for a first entry in 2015. The new TORQUE (and Kyocera really spells it that way) sports a 1.4 GHz quad-core Qualcomm MSM8928, a.k.a. a Snapdragon 400. RAM is up to 2 GB and while the 16 GB storage is on the low side, the microSD card can handle up to 128 GB more. Perhaps most impressive is the 4.5-inch screen which, at that size, can definitely boast about its 1280x720 resolution.

But Kyocera's rugged smartphones are hardly about the tech specs. The new TORQUE flaunts quite a few stats when it comes to what it does best: being virtually indestructible. It holds the highest water-proof rating of IPX6 and IP67, meaning that it can withstand being sprayed or immersed under 1.5 meters of water for up to 30 minutes. The equally highest IP6X dustproof rating protects it from power dust for a good 6 hours straight. MIL STD 810G certification means it can survive falls and shocks, salt fog and humidity. It can even work under very extreme temperatures of -21° to 50°C.

While it's a tough nut to crack, it doesn't mean that the new TORQUE will be tough to use either. The extra sensitive screen makes it possible to use it while wearing gloves, even the non-specialized kind. Kyocera's Smart Sonic Receiver Technology utilizes both sound and vibrations to transfer voice, ensuring that audio is delivered clear even in the noisiest working environments.

Kyocera is poising the new TORQUE as the perfect smartphone for companies with employees working out in the field or for industrial workers. The OEM will be showcasing the smartphone at the MWC 2015 in Barcelona next month and again in CeBIT in Hannover, also in March. No pricing details or launch dates have been revealed yet.

SOURCE: Kyocera