‘Atom XL’ is a rugged smartphone w/ a 4-inch display and Android 10

Ben Schoon | Mar 9 2020 - 11:39 am PT

Smartphones are absolutely massive nowadays, which is why, sometimes, it can be a breath of fresh air when something is compact. Now, the compact “Atom XL” is on its way to production with Android 10 and a tiny 4-inch display.

First things first: Why is a 4-inch smartphone called “XL?” There’s actually a smaller Atom smartphone from the same brand that has a miniscule 2.45-inch display that came out a while back, and is currently for sale on Amazon.

Now, the Unihertz Atom XL has arrived with a bigger display you’d actually be able to use and more. Funding now on Kickstarter, the Atom XL offers up Android 10 — don’t expect any updates — an IP68 water/dust resistance rating, global 4G LTE support, and a walkie-talkie function. There’s a clear market for this rugged device in outdoor activities.

Also on the spec sheet is a 48MP camera, fast charging over USB-C, 6GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, and a MediaTek Helio P60 processor, too. This device also can connect a walkie-talkie antenna for local communication. If you can do without that feature, too, the Atom L offers all of the same specs for a little less money.

There are always risks with Kickstarter projects, of course, but Unihertz already has units out in the wild and has successfully brought three other small smartphones to market, including the tiny “Jelly Phone” from a few years ago.