Verizon has literally strengthened its smartphone offering with the confirmation that the Kyocera Dura Force Pro will be included in its stable. This device, which has been available to AT&T and Sprint subscribers for several months already, boasts of a military-grade construction.
It is not yet clear why it took the Big Red this long to launch the DuraForce Pro. However, the confirmation that it is, indeed, being sold by the carrier took no one by surprise.
Verizon's competition has carried the Kyocera DuraForce XD early this year and reports indicate that the device performed well in the U.S. market. In addition, noted mobile phone tipster Evan Blass also recently revealed that the U.S. largest carrier could also sell the phone to its subscribers.
Military-Grade Phone
The Kyocera DuraForce Pro is being sold to a niche market and this includes the outdoorsy segment as well as the military consumers. These users are all spending time in locations with harsh environmental conditions. The handset has been built to withstand abuse.
To begin with, DuraForce Pro is IP68-certified, which means that it is both dust and water resistant. You can take it up to 2 meters underwater and it will survive for about 30 minutes.
The handset also satisfies several military standards for dust, vibration, extreme temperature, low pressure, solar radiation, salt, shock and freezing rain, among others. You can take it to hazardous locations such as those that contain flammable gas and vapors.
Action Camera
To bolster the DuraForce Pro's active credentials, Kyocera has bundled a camera technology that can keep up with the pace of its owners' lifestyles. The 13 MP rear-facing shooter is touted as an action camera, which means it sports features such as wide-angle lens for dramatic POV footages.
As previously mentioned, the DuraForce Pro has been available in competing carriers for some time. Verizon, however, is careful to underscore that the device's 5-inch Sapphire Shield display as exclusive. It purportedly renders the screen virtually scratch-proof.
Kyocera DuraForce Pro Price And Specs
Verizon is selling the DuraForce Pro for $408. That is quite expensive especially when compared with its predecessor. However, interested buyers can choose to avail Verizon's financing scheme, which allows them to pay $17 per month for two years.
For its price, you will also get 3 GB of RAM, expandable storage, and an MSM 8952 octa-core processor. Kyocera claims that the DuraForce Pro's 3,240 mAh non-removable battery will last you 25 hours of usage time. It runs Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow straight out of the box.
