Samsung's rugged Galaxy XCover 7 phone will reportedly be surprisingly affordable
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If you've been following Samsung for more than a minute, you probably already know that the world's largest smartphone manufacturer and number two tablet vendor is gearing up to release a lot more than just three (admittedly impressive) Android handsets in the next few months.
Even though we don't really have any concrete inside information on the US availability matter, all historical signs seem to point in the correct direction. The Galaxy XCover 6 Pro is still up for grabs stateside for both consumers and businesses, and anyone in the region can order the virtually unbreakable 6.6-inch handset in an unlocked variant at $599.99.
While we don't expect any new Galaxy Buds edition, for instance, to see daylight alongside the Galaxy S24, S24 Plus, and S24 Ultra in a couple of weeks, it's clearly only a matter of time until the likes of the mid-range Galaxy A55, Tab Active 5, and yes, XCover 7 will be formally unveiled.
The latter device has been in the news since September, with a set of decidedly familiar-looking renders then leaking out in November and the first (somewhat vague) pricing hints being dropped by a rock-solid source right before the holidays. Now the same always reliable tipster is back with a specific and highly encouraging number for us, anticipating an almost surprisingly affordable entry in Samsung's popular rugged smartphone line, at least as far as the old continent is concerned.
Outdoor-loving bargain hunters, rejoice!
Yes, it appears that the Galaxy XCover 7 will cost a measly €379.90 in Europe, which obviously compares very favorably with the current €609 price point of the 2022-released XCover 6 Pro in countries like France.
Although the lack of Pro branding makes it pretty clear that we'll be dealing with a considerably lower-end affair here, the "regular" XCover 7 is expected to upgrade the 4GB RAM count and 64 gigs of internal storage space of 2021's XCover 5 and thus match the 6 and 128GB endowments respectively of the XCover 6 Pro.
The XCover 7 (rendered above) is really not very different from the XCover 6 Pro (pictured here)... at first glance.
On the not so bright side of things, there will only be one (presumably middling) camera slapped on the muscular back of the impending Galaxy XCover 7, with the rumored 4,000mAh battery capacity not exactly knocking our socks off either, especially considering the typically chunky body of rugged devices like this.
Then again, you have to remember the XCover 5 barely managed to squeeze a 3,000mAh cell into a robust frame measuring 9.2mm in thickness, so as long as Samsung doesn't exceed 10mm this time around, that 4,000mAh figure is definitely something we can learn to live with.
The XCover 7's other rumored but far from confirmed specifications include a decidedly mediocre-sounding MediaTek Dimensity 6100+ processor, fairly generous 6.6-inch screen with Full HD+ resolution, pre-loaded Android 14 software (with One UI on top), respectable 25W charging support, and all the standard certifications for water, dust, extreme temperature, vibration, and shock resistance associated with your "everyday" rugged phone.
Will the Galaxy XCover 7 come to the US?
That strongly suggests the non-Pro XCover 7 will be priced at around 350 bucks when it's eventually officially released in the country, although we're afraid we also don't have any launch timing details to offer you just yet either.
The XCover 7 will definitely look a lot better than the non-Pro Galaxy XCover 5 (pictured here).
Knowing Samsung, its next-gen outdoor-friendly Android soldier could definitely hit the enterprise retail channel first and only spread its wings to "normal" consumers at some point down the line, which is just a complicated way of saying you may have to continue playing the waiting game for a few more months. Or you can always go for the similarly robust but far more powerful and stylish Motorola ThinkPhone at a comparable price.
Things that are NOT allowed: