Make the tough call

The reign of the all too fragile smartphone may be over.

Durable: Samsung Galaxy X-Cover 2.

It's happened to everyone at one time or another. That initial loss of control, and then that sickening, gut-wrenching thud or splash when you realise, even before you retrieve it, that you've gone and broken your beloved smartphone.

We've come a long way since the old Nokia and Motorola bricks from the early 1990s – which all but bounced whenever you dropped them - but durability is one area that's actually gotten worse over time.

"A new breed of mobile devices has emerged that are better equipped to handle everyday accidents."

The modern smartphone is a more frail beast, with large screens and premium outer materials that mean even a short tumble to the ground can result in a shattered case and damaged display, not to mention an expensive trip to the mobile phone repair shop. And it seems the prettier a smartphone is, the more likely you'll need to cover it up with a case to prevent it from getting scratched or damaged.

Sony's Xperia Z can survive being submerged in water for 30 minutes.

According to figures earlier this year from smartphone insurance provider mobileinsurance.co.uk, nearly a quarter of iPhone owners have a cracked or smashed screen - something the Apple Store charges $249 to replace with a refurbished unit (although third party repair shops charge a lot less to swap the screen or glass panels).

But not every smartphone is so dainty. A new breed of mobile devices has emerged that are better equipped to handle everyday accidents. Sony's new Xperia Z is one such smartphone with above-average durability. The covered ports and sealed internals mean users can submerge it in up to a metre of water for 30 minutes, and it's also resistant to dust.

The glass front and back is reminiscent of the iPhone's design, but Sony claims that the tempered glass, anti-shatter film on the front and back, and tough fibre polyamide skeleton frame makes the Xperia Z tougher than average.

The Xperia Z is one of a handful of semi-rugged mobile devices that Sony is releasing. It follows the mid-tier Xperia Go and Xperia Acro S smartphones that Sony released last year, and next month it will be releasing the Xperia Tablet Z, which is the first consumer tablet to be water and dust resistant.

Otterbox Armour for iPhone.

"We've launched this smart, sleek and durable range because there is a demand and a need for it," Kris Isemonger, business planning manager for Sony Mobile, says. "People are dropping their smartphones and having accidents with them. We've even heard stories from customers that break their smartphones from running or being at the gym, as their sweat has gotten into the device."

 

But Sony isn't the first vendor that's entered the semi-rugged smartphone space. Motorola got the ball rolling back in 2010 with the "life-proof" Defy, a mid-range Android smartphone with water and dust resistant properties. This was followed by the Defy+ in 2011, which offered minor hardware and software upgrades. Samsung has also tried their hand at the tough smartphone; releasing a couple of ''ruggedised'' smartphones such as the Samsung Galaxy X-Cover 2.

Motorola Defy+

Apple isn't likely to release a toughened-up version of the iPhone any time soon, but there are plenty of third party cases available that offer extra protection for the delicate glass enclosure. Otterbox is the best-known provider of tough cases for smartphones, with its top-of-the-range Armour Series of cases (available for the iPhone 4/4S, iPhone 5 and Samsung Galaxy S3) offering dust-resistance and protection against up to two metres of water, drops onto concrete from up to three metres, and pressure from up to two tonnes. The only drawback is that the enhanced durability comes at the cost of doubling both the phone's weight, and it's thickness.

If you're happy to sacrifice a little durability for a sleeker overall package, there's a variety of less rugged cases available from vendors such as Case-Mate, Speck and Cygnett.