The smartphone market today can be divided into three segments – the premium segment, medium segment and the budget segment. The premium segment is dominated by Apple and Samsung with smartphones that are made from the best materials available and offer superior user experience. The medium segment is dominated by the likes of OnePlus and Xiaomi with an emphasis on performance. Finally, we have the budget segment with entry-level smartphones at very low cost.
While the premium segment remains relatively rarefied, the medium segment is getting squeezed by the budget segment. With many small manufacturers entering the smartphone market, it is getting harder for them to differentiate their products in such a saturated market.
Kenxinda aims to penetrate this difficult market with focusing on the niche ruggedised devices market. Hence, on the last day of 2015, they officially launched the Kenxinda Flattop series of ruggedised mobile devices, as well as the Kenxinda W3 smartwatch. The stars of the launch were, without doubt, their Flattop series of ruggedised mobile devices.
Kenxinda Flattop Launch Video
Kenxinda Flattop Ruggedised Mobile Devices
The Kenxinda Flattop mobile devices are waterproof, dust-proof and shock-proof. They are designed to work in harsh conditions, being IP68-certified and MIL-STD-810G rated. That means they will take pretty much all the abuse you can throw at them and still work.
Kenxinda launched a mix of 7 devices – 5 smartphones, together with one feature phone and one power bank. The Kenxinda smartphone models (W5 to W9) run on Android 5.0.1 Take a look at their key specifications and recommended retail prices :
| Model | Basic Specifications | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Kenxinda Flattop W9 Smartphone | 1.3 GHz octa-core processor 2 GB RAM + 16 GB storage 6.0" HD display 8 MP rear + 5 MP front cameras 4000 mAh battery 4G LTE, dual SIM, dual standby | RM 2,299 ~US$ 539 |
| Kenxinda Flattop W8 Smartphone | 1.3 GHz octa-core processor 2 GB RAM + 16 GB storage 5.5" HD display 8 MP rear + 5 MP front cameras 3000 mAh battery 4G LTE, dual SIM, dual standby | RM 1,699 ~US$ 399 |
| Kenxinda Flattop W7 Smartphone | 1.3 GHz quad-core processor 1 GB RAM + 8 GB storage 5.0" HD display 8 MP rear + 5 MP front cameras 2800 mAh battery 4G LTE, dual SIM, dual standby | RM 1,399 ~US$ 329 |
| Kenxinda Flattop W6 Smartphone | 1.3 GHz quad-core processor 1 GB RAM + 8 GB storage 4.5" QHD display 5 MP rear + 2 MP front cameras 2600 mAh battery 4G LTE, dual SIM, dual standby | RM 1,099 ~US$ 259 |
| Kenxinda Flattop W5 Smartphone | 1.3 GHz quad-core processor 1 GB RAM + 8 GB storage 4.0" display 5 MP rear + 2 MP front cameras 2800 mAh battery 4G LTE, dual SIM, dual standby | RM 899 ~US$ 209 |
| Kenxinda Flattop W3 Feature Phone | 32 MB RAM + 32 MB storage 2.2" TFT display (240 x 320) < 3 MP rear camera 1800 mAh battery 2G connectivity | RM 239 ~US$ 59 |
| Kenxinda Flattop Max7 Power Bank | 10400 mAh lithium-ion battery Output current : 2.1 A Input current : 1.5 A | RM 299 ~US$ 69 |
Kenxinda also demonstrated the ruggedised capabilities of these mobile devices, subjecting them to water, dust and dirt. We were also given the opportunity to throw these mobile devices around. You can check out their demonstration here.
Kenxinda W3 Smartwatch
Kenxinda also launched a smaller and more affordable smartwatch – the Kenxinda W3. The name is confusing since Kenxinda also has a Flattop feature phone with the same model number.
[adrotate banner=”4″]The Kenxinda W3 has a 1.44″ LCD display with a resolution of 128 x 128 pixels, and even a 0.8 MP camera built-in! It even has telephony capability through a SIM slot that supports the quad-band GSM network (you don’t need an LTE connection on a smartwatch and the GSM connectivity offers the best battery life).It has 32 MB of RAM and 32 MB of internal storage, with a microSD slot for additional storage. Its 300 mAh battery is sufficient to provide up to 50 hours of use. The Kenxinda W3 also comes with an integrated FM radio and Bluetooth 3.0 support.
Unbelievably, Kenxinda is pricing the Kenxinda W3 smartwatch at just RM 169 (~US$ 39), with a FREE Bluetooth earphone to boot!
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