High-performance smartphone for Division 2 and Zone 2/22 hazardous areas

The Pepperl+Fuchs Group continues the success story of the globally certified and established Smart-Ex® series. The new, industrial-grade Smart-Ex® 203 smartphone is designed for use in Division 2 and Zone 2/22 hazardous areas and offers all the necessary certifications. This complements the smartphone portfolio around the proven Smart-Ex® 03 with another powerful device. The Smart-Ex® 203 enables continuous and reliable operation even in challenging industrial environments and offers a high level of user convenience thanks to a wide range of well-thought-out features. This makes it the perfect solution for addressing the increasing demands of digitalized process chains in the context of IoT and Industry 4.0 scenarios.

The new smartphone covers the most important public and private 5G and 4G mobile networks in a single hardware version and is suitable for worldwide use in areas with an increased risk of explosion. The Smart-Ex® 203 supports a total of 52 different frequency bands, including 24 5G and 28 4G bands. The dual SIM function simplifies the fast and flexible switch between private and public networks and their management by optionally using eSIM and nano-SIM. Thanks to the high-resolution 6.3-inch display, sophisticated augmented reality (AR) applications and other digital processes can be optimally used, ensuring maximum future-proofing.

In addition, the Smart-Ex® 203 has many other proven features that make mobile work and communication easier under demanding and harsh industrial conditions. Glove Mode, for example, increases the touchscreen’s sensitivity so that the device can be operated precisely even with gloves. 

is Double-Tap, which allows to lock the smartphone by simply double-tapping on the home screen. This eliminates the need to feel for the on/off button on the side, making it easier to use the smartphone with gloves. In addition, both left- and right-handed workers benefit from this function. What's more, the Smart-Ex® 203 is equipped with the innovative feature Smart Call Handling, which enables intelligent call handling using hand gestures: to accept an incoming call, the device is brought directly to the ear; a shake rejects the call; and a tilt mutes the conversation.

Additional features include a fingerprint sensor that allows unlocking without entering a code, thus enabling biometrically supported multi-factor authentication for maximum security. In addition, the smartphone has a rear camera with 48 megapixels, an autofocus and a LED flash, as well as a front camera with a resolution of 16 megapixels. The LED can also be conveniently used as a flashlight. The cameras can be used to take not only high-quality pictures but also videos in full HD resolution. The new accessory interface allows the Smart-Ex® 203 to be connected to the SM-Ex S203 SR scanner module, transforming it into a convenient 1D/2D barcode scanner. In addition, automatic identification of objects is possible with the smartphone.

The Smart-Ex® 203 features Android 14, a cutting-edge operating system that optimally supports the latest communication standards. The pending Android Enterprise Recommended and Google ARCore certification make the smartphone ideally suited for demanding augmented reality applications such as remote support, training and other company-specific tools. And finally, the new accessory interface allows the use of additional accessories such as the SM-Ex S203 SR scanner module.

“With the Smart-Ex® 203, we are providing a powerful and cost-effective smartphone for use in Division 2 and Zone 2/22 hazardous areas, complementing our proven Smart-Ex® 03 portfolio. Users benefit from a wide range of features that take mobile work and communication to a new level in all industries with challenging production conditions. These include, in particular, the oil and gas, chemical, pharmaceutical, and food and beverage sectors,” explained Jörg Hartleb, Head of Product Management at the Pepperl+Fuchs subsidiary ECOM Instruments.