TL;DR
- Kyocera has announced the rugged Duraforce Pro 3 in the US.
- The phone brings a removable battery, programmable buttons, and microSD support.
- Expect to pay an off-contract price of $899.99 for the device.
Kyocera is no stranger to rugged phones thanks to its Duraforce line of handsets. Now, the company is back with a new rugged phone dubbed the Duraforce Pro 3.
The new phone ticks plenty of boxes for a tough device, such as an IP68 rating, MIL-STD-810H certification, and even HazLoc certification for operating in hazardous environments. The company adds that it uses corner bumpers around the 5.38-inch OLED display (FHD+, 60Hz) for improved durability.
The Kyocera Duraforce Pro 3 also has several features you won’t find on many smartphones today. These features include three programmable hardware buttons, a removable battery, and a microSD card slot (up to 1TB).
Don’t expect flagship-level core specs here, though. The device packs a pretty capable Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 processor, 6GB of RAM, 128GB of internal storage, and that removable 4,270mAh battery with 8.1W wireless charging. You’re getting a triple camera system on the back, consisting of a 64MP main shooter, 16MP ultrawide camera, and a 2MP macro lens. Otherwise, an 8MP camera is on-tap for selfies.
Other notable features include Android 13, Bluetooth 5.2, front-facing stereo speakers, a side-mounted fingerprint scanner, and Wi-Fi 6E support.
Kyocera Duraforce Pro 3 pricing and availability
The new Kyocera handset is available via Verizon in the US, with a recommended retail price of $899.99. Expect to find it in a black color option only.
It’s worth noting that the similarly rugged Samsung Galaxy XCover 6 Pro retails for $600 in the market. This phone brings a higher display refresh rate and ostensibly a longer update commitment as well. Still, we’re glad to see the launch of one more smartphone with a removable battery in the US.
