MWC 2017: AGM Preparing IP68 Rated Snapdragon 835 Smartphone with 8GB DRAM
by Anton Shilov on March 13, 2017 4:00 PM EST- Posted in
- Smartphones
- Snapdragon
- Qualcomm
- Snapdragon 835
- MWC_2017
- AGM
- IP68
AGM may not be a household name for the vast majority of people living in Europe and the U.S., but this is a well-known maker of rugged phones that sells its products in many countries around the world. The company’s lineup currently includes six IP68-rated models, and in order to attract the attention of the mass market, AGM is preparing its new X2 model that weds a rugged design with the latest technology. At MWC 2017 this year, the company announced its new flagship that will be based on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 835 and will rival leading-edge smartphones from big makers.
The Old X1
To put this into context, AGM’s current X1 flagship is based on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 617 (eight ARM Cortex-A53, Adreno 405, X8 LTE, etc.). The X1 is equipped with up to 4 GB of DDR3 RAM, up to 64 GB of eMMC NAND, two 13 MP back-facing cameras, a 5400 mAh battery and comes with a 5.5” FHD AMOLED display featuring Gorilla Glass 3. The phone is IP68-rated against dust and immersion in water (over 1 m depth, but other conditions are specified by the manufacturer), yet it looks considerably neater than typical rugged designs. While AGM’s phones come in rugged enclosures and can survive in situations when other handsets might fail, none of them are MIL-STD 810G-graded.
The New X2
While the AGM X1 is positioned by the manufacturer as an affordable rugged phone for extreme sports and other outdoor activities, but it is definitely not a phone from the premier league. In the coming months (in mid-2017) AGM plans to introduce its X2, which will be positioned as a premium smartphone and will feature Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 835 SoC (10nm, eight new Kryo cores, Adreno 540, X16 LTE, LPDDR4X, etc.). This is along with 8 GB of DRAM, 256 GB of NAND, two cameras, a ~6000 mAh battery (there will also be the AGM X2 Pro with a 10,000 mAh battery) an omni-bearing ambient sensor and so on. Based on official images of the AGM X2 (originally published by AGM and AndroidHeadlines), it is possible that the phone has four antennae and thus supports 4x4 MIMO, one of the three features required for Gigabit LTE.
The AGM X2 will be one of the first IP68-rated Snapdragon 835-based smartphones with a rugged design. Meanwhile, for AGM, this will be a debut on the market of premium smartphones that compete against Apple’s iPhones or Samsung’s Galaxy S-series. The price of the AGM X2 is unknown, but it will likely vary significantly depending on the store and the region. For example, the AGM X1 can be bought for $260 in China or for over $480 in the U.S.
Source: AGM
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Bullwinkle J Moose - Tuesday, March 14, 2017 - link
Don't Tase me bruh....SpatulaCity - Tuesday, March 14, 2017 - link
I really hope they make an "International Version" where it is unlocked and all regional frequencies are available. A lot more people are travelling these days and it seems silly to limit phones to certain regions. Since the hardware supports it, why not unlock all those LTE bands and 4G frequencies on the phone and let the consumer decide where they want to use it. I want to be able to use the local SIM cards that I buy when I'm travelling and have the same frequencies (frequencies = coverage and speeds) as everyone else.andychow - Monday, March 20, 2017 - link
I bet they have to pay mega royalties for those LTE bands to Qualcomm, if they are activated. That's the only reason I can figure. I've heard those royalties are insane. As in the most expensive cost in the device, more expensive than the SOC itself.Manch - Tuesday, March 14, 2017 - link
Ruggedized phone with top of the line specs has me interested. No need for a case. Just a glass screen protector. 10000mAh battery makes it even more tempting. Less charging. Could use as a GPS on my bike without needing a weatherproof case and still have battery left over. The kicker is the FHD screen instead of a life sucking/useless retina super optimus ultra high 8k double megatron HD screen that does me zero good. As a bonus, @ 10000mAh, if its enough to jump start a bike. I'll throw my money at them.soliloquist - Tuesday, March 14, 2017 - link
Double megatron sounds like a starscream nightmare.Manch - Tuesday, March 14, 2017 - link
^^^yes!!!Sragarra - Tuesday, March 14, 2017 - link
OMG... double camera in a rugged, dude xD AMG to me is becaming more and more appealing (does promises strength and performance as a "regular competitive smartphone" ... to launch the first rugged dual camera and resistance to everything)solesolesalva - Friday, March 17, 2017 - link
I have read some things about the agm $9.9 offer too ! promotion.agmmobile.com/AGM-flash-sale/?route=enSragarra - Friday, March 17, 2017 - link
well; dont surprise me anymore : now that Samsung is not longer the best PPR (good value for your money), now IS best to get shipped some chinese like this ... o bought my AGM and ... so incredibly happy :O!