Oh we’ve had a lot of people waiting for this phone.
If you’re after quick judgement then I’ll start by saying it’s definitely worth the
wait.
There’re a lot of details to go over but I don’t mind starting this review by saying
the S60 the best rugged smartphone available.
Of course it also commands a pretty high price, so if you want to know why you should buy
one, listen on.
Starting off on the spec sheet, the S60 beats all its competition.
Sure, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 617 chip isn't the absolute top processor; however it’s
still very capable and powers many mid to high range phones, with efficient multitasking.
You also get decent rendering from it for games or other applications.
This is matched up to 3 GB of RAM too; more than enough memory to keep the system running
smoothly.
A generous 32 GB of storage has been provided, plus the almost stock Android 6.0 installation
allows for SD cards to be formatted as internal storage.
It would have been nice to have a full HD panel but the 720p 4.7” screen is respectable
enough and also serves to limit the power draw.
The display on my review unit seemed a bit yellow / warm.
I do tend to compare a lot to the super-white displays of Samsung and Apple though, and
a preference for cold/warm screens is personal.
The colour profile may also help with the readability in direct sunlight.
Corning Gorilla Glass 4 sits on top of the screen to prevent scratches.
Even with pretty rough treatment I’m yet to see any deep nicks or scoring.
Cat don’t advertise the S60's screen as being unbreakable.
For that reason I didn’t go out of my way to properly wallop it, and neither should
you.
That said though the results of a few tests left me feeling comfortable about dropping
it onto a pavement.
It’s also worth mentioning the huge 3,800 mAh battery.
It’s a beast and even heavy users should get well into their second day.
Inescapable is the size of the S60, unavoidable in such a robust design.
The 4.7” makes sure the front profile of the handset isn’t that large.
The height/width dimension is about the same as a new Galaxy S7 Edge for instance.
What adds bulk is the thickness and materials.
Cat’s S60 is 13 mil deep – a good half centimetre or more chunkier than your usual
phone.
A die-cast metal chassis pushes the weight up too, so you'll feel an S60 in your pocket.
Of course this is what we want from a rugged phone.
Cat aren't targeting the average buyer.
The S60 is for trades people and those with highly active outdoor lifestyles.
With this in mind I consider the S60 a fairly handsome product.
Silver trim covers the sides and breaks up the front and back.
Splashes of Cat brand yellow appear here and there.
The back plate has a cool carbon-fibre effect finish to add grip.
Even the ‘bump’ for the FLIR lamp has been neatly folded into the overall silhouette.
It seems a lot of thought has been put into the modelling of this phone.
The Android system are physical buttons with satisfying click and travel.
The same is true of the volume, power and programmable key.
Overall the build is solid and inspires confidence that it will perform as advertised.
Android 6.0 Marshmallow is installed and it’s very close to stock, although there are a
few tweaks and additional apps.
All new Marshmallow features are present, including the permissions structure, battery
management and formatting SD cards as internal storage.
In the settings all usual Android options are available with a couple of extras for
setting functions for the programmable & SOS buttons.
Compared to other lesser known brands, Cat tend to stay on top of updates.
In the couple of weeks we’ve had the S60, there have already been two major downloads.
In fact didn’t want us to form any impressions until a specific update was available - this
strikes me as a company interested in making sure the consumer experience is a good one.
A few added apps sit in the app drawer.
The full written review covers these in depth.
Mostly these boil down to a hiking app with lots of useful on screen information, an SOS
messaging system, audio profiles and an interesting personal assistant tool for pulling up information
about the phone.
You’ll also find the App Toolbox, a sort of shopping window for finding new apps on
Google Play.
Some apps are promoted, other links provide lists of popular apps for outdoor pursuits
or particular industries.
I actually really like this and think it shows the team behind the S60 really thinking about
their users.
Google Play can be a confusing minefield to a novice user so having this additional layer,
whilst in some ways abstraction, is a helpful addition.
The FLIR camera is the big draw to the S60.
If you’re unaware of the technology, FLIR stands for Forward Looking InfraRed.
FLIR Systems are a company known for providing world-leading hardware utilising this technology.
Their tech is traditionally developed for specific requirements, although recently popularised
due to the FLIR ONE module for Android and iOS phones.
This gadget won awards and brought thermal imaging technology to the masses with a well
designed combination of hardware and software.
FLIR technology is built in to the S60 and Cat have worked directly with FLIR Systems
to seamlessly integrate it.
You’ll also find a modified version of the FLIR app that works perfectly with Android
the 6.0 version on the phone.
The results are very good indeed.
Even more impressive is that a dedicated FLIR ONE module would set you back £200.
Considering the overall price of the S60 and an initially expensive phone becomes very
good value for money.
The technical specs of the FLIR camera are available online so I won’t repeat them
here.
Rest assured we’ve tried the system out in a variety of locations and found the app
to be solid and responsive, with the results clear and on par with example images and video
recorded from a standalone FLIR ONE.
The FLIR app has a few options available for stills, video or time-lapse and also allows
you some customisation in the colouring of the heat map overlay.
Traditionally this is black/violet for cold through to yellow/white for hot, although
you can choose from nine separate options, which may show differences better depending
on your situation.
Of course the mileage you get from the FLIR camera depends on your personal requirements.
If you have no immediate use for it then it becomes little more than a cool toy bundled
with the phone.
Although a very cool toy at that and something you may find fun or even practical uses for
later.
For others, there are undoubtedly hundreds of situations where the FLIR tech built in
to a smartphone could enhance their work or provide new opportunities.
I’m a fan of companies trying something new.
Often new hardware tricks get sidelined as gimmicks not long after announcement but here
is something different.
Hats off to Cat for investing in a feature that sets their phone apart from the crowd.
Moving on from the FLIR camera, the main cameras are pretty standard fair for a mid range smartphone.
The common 13 MP sensor matches up to many other consumer level smartphones of similar
price.
By default pictures are taken using the stock Google Camera app, the same as if you booted
up a new Nexus.
This has improved a lot in the past 12-18 months.
A few tweaks are available in the settings - variable image quality, adjustable ISO and
exposure etc.
The options aren't massively in depth compared to a new Samsung, Sony or LG, however that
is to be expected.
The big names of consumer smartphones have had several years to develop their imaging
software.
Sticking to Google's app was a wiser decision for Cat than trying to develop their own.
As you might expect from the stock application, the results are OK.
You can get some very nice shots outdoors and in good conditions, however the image
processing can start make the results a little grainy when indoors or in low light.
The settings can improve indoor & low-light performance a little.
12 pre-set scenes let you can tinker a fair bit, however there's only so much you can
affect things.
For most people the final images are perfectly acceptable.
This isn’t iPhone or Galaxy level mobile photography but the S60 doesn't position itself
as this.
Instead you get a functional 13 MP shooter that performs as well as any other mid-range
phone would.
Cat could have taken a much easier route to success.
Already a top recognised brand for tough phones, all they had to do was put better specs in
a basic rugged case.
This would probably still been the best on the market.
Yet they've opted to take a risk and develop a phone that is anathema to the bland, boring
products we see cropping up everywhere else.
More commendable though is the result - more than just a decently built tough phone with
a gimmick.
The S60 really is a high quality piece of tech.
It's thick but balanced well and doesn’t feel oversized.
The trim and splashes of colour are finished neatly.
The software has been well integrated.
Even the FLIR camera’s bump is worked in smoothly, with edging and branding to make
part of the phone, not just an afterthought.
Until now the word “tough” preceding smartphone was a justification.
You could say “the phone isn't great but that’s fine because it's been made tough…”
Cat can banish that train of thought now.
The S60 stands on its own.
Of course it's not for everyone.
But neither is an iPhone.
Or a Samsung Galaxy.
Every brand differentiates with individual features.
The S60 has thermal imaging and a rugged build to stand apart, however it's a good smartphone
first.
That's an important distinction.
It can't be denied it costs more than your spare change to buy an S60, although if you’re
part of the target market the price is easily justified.
Cat have raised the bar for this category of phones.
The bottom line is if you want the best rugged Android in 2016, you want a Cat S60.