Panasonic Unveils Toughpad Smartphones

The company is returning to the smartphone business with two new HD models.

During the Mobile World Congress being held in Spain this week, Panasonic announced two new Toughpad smartphones. Though the company previously claimed that it was done with the consumer smartphone business, these premium handsets are instead geared toward corporate users.

The Toughpad FZ-E1 and FZ-X1 essentially feature the same specs, save for their operating systems and processors. The former runs on Windows 8 with a Qualcomm MSM8974AB 2.3GHz Quad Core CPU, while the latter uses Android 4.2.2 with a Qualcomm APQ8064T 1.7GHz Quad Core CPU. Both devices have a 5-inch 720p display and 2GB of RAM. In addition, each phone comes equipped with an 8MP rear camera and a 1.3MP front camera. 32GB of integrated storage, a microSD slot, and a 6,200mAh battery are included as well. Finally, both models fully live up to their Toughpad namesake, and are designed to withstand drops, water, and dust.

The Toughpad FZ-E1 and FZ-X1 are being marketed toward business clients and will be available in mid June and late August in Japan for about 130,000 yen (around $1300). A US release is expected to follow later in the year.

Sources: Reuters via Engadget

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