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Cat B15 Android phone aims to be forklift-tough

Cat's latest rugged smartphone wraps Android Jelly Bean in a sturdy, water-resistant body.

Jessica Dolcourt Senior Director, Commerce & Content Operations
Jessica Dolcourt is a passionate content strategist and veteran leader of CNET coverage. As Senior Director of Commerce & Content Operations, she leads a number of teams, including Commerce, How-To and Performance Optimization. Her CNET career began in 2006, testing desktop and mobile software for Download.com and CNET, including the first iPhone and Android apps and operating systems. She continued to review, report on and write a wide range of commentary and analysis on all things phones, with an emphasis on iPhone and Samsung. Jessica was one of the first people in the world to test, review and report on foldable phones and 5G wireless speeds. Jessica began leading CNET's How-To section for tips and FAQs in 2019, guiding coverage of topics ranging from personal finance to phones and home. She holds an MA with Distinction from the University of Warwick (UK).
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Jessica Dolcourt
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BARCELONA, Spain--Cat (yes, the same Cat of industrial forklifts, tractors, and mining equipment) has announced its latest rugged smartphone, the Cat B15.

Rocking Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, a grooved rubber back, and hard angles, the Cat B15 is aimed for construction and industrial workers. Made of hardened rubber and aluminum, I really liked the Cat B15's shape and in-hand feel even in my bare hands. It's thick and durable, and raised yellow buttons along the side and top are both tactile and visible.

Dust flaps around the headset jack and charging port help keep it waterproof for up to 1 meter in depth for 30 minutes, and dust-proof, both standard requirements for durable phones (specification class: iP67).

Rough 'n' tumble, Cat says the B15 can operate in temperatures from -20 to 55 degrees Celsius (-4 to 131 degrees Fahrenheit) and can withstand up to 6-foot drops (1.8 meters).

Cat B15 Android phone
The ultrarugged Cat B15 Android smartphone. Jessica Dolcourt/CNET

The B15 features a 4-inch touch screen that's capable of sensing your taps and swipes when the face is wet -- so long as your finger is relatively dry. Gorilla Glass tops the display. Internally, a 1GHz dual-core MediaTek processor runs the show.

A 5-megapixel camera and VGA front-facing camera handle your photography and 720p HD video capturing, and a continuous shooting mode is one extra. You'll also find an FM radio preinstalled.

Hands on with Cat's rugged Android B15 (pictures)

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You'll only find 4GB in internal storage, but a microSD card slot lets you expand to 32GB.

A 3G, GSM phone, the B15 stands 4.9 inches tall by 2.7 inches wide by 0.6 inch deep and weighs a hefty 6 ounces. A burly 2,000mAh battery promises to keep talk time going for 16.3 hours.

For a company that knows rugged better than it knows Android, this phone seems to have the goods, including a modern version of the smartphone OS.

It'll sell for 329 euros, beginning with Germany on March 15 before extending to other parts of Europe and the Middle East, likely followed by North America.