Anyone with a CAT phone?
I currently have a Nexus 6P whose battery dies at 35% and unfortunately nowadays with unreplaceable batteries, that means I have to replace the phone (sigh).
For my next phone, I'm seriously considering a CAT S61.
CATs (caterpillars) are a line of smartphones made for heavy-duty blue collar work. They're built to withstand shocks, drops, accidents and various intense situations. The S61 is a high end hybrid which pulls in USB-C, NFC and various other modernities. This makes it very tempting. The big pros for me are shock/drop resistance+waterproof and a headphone jack, microSD slot, no stupid notch, and a superb battery.
Where the CAT loses is on display resolution, camera quality and probably CPU/graphics card but having never owned one, I don't know how bad these are. It's also much thicker but that I really don't care about. It also doesn't seem to be compatible with lineageOS (and even if it were, I don't know that there's drivers for the various custom hardware bits such as the thermal imaging camera).
Before I drop $1k on one of these, anyone here got any hands-on experience with the CAT line?
Not to go off-topic since I don't have a CAT, but I'd seriously suggest protective cases rather than built-in armor. You'll have a broader selection of available phones that meet your needs, at lower overall cost of ownership.
I'm in the same situation as you are with respect to the Nexus 6p, and do a modest amount of network/server construction labor. Aside from the battery, the phone is in pristine condition thanks to good clip-type shell cases and armor-glass screen protectors, despite being banged and dropped any number of times.
Edit: Darn, after looking at the specs on the CAT, now you've got me thinking about it. Thermal imaging, built-in laser distance, FM radio enabled, 30+ hours of talk, Android O with P upgrade... if the camera works at least half as well as the Pixel 3, it may be a better deal.
2nd edit: Review here suggests it's not the phone for me - the processor lag and mediocre camera wouldn't be acceptable - even with the bells and whistles, the price is too steep for already outdated hardware specs.
Neat review. It pointed me to the S8 Active which is also looking very tempting! Hm.
The CAT S48c just released in the U.S., and looks like a much more cost-effective option if you just need a highly-rugged phone - more generic hardware might mean fewer sacrifices if Lineage OS compatibility is a concern.
Hmm, I missed that model. That does look better, especially since I don't need the thermal camera and such. I kinda dismissed anything beyond the S61 because I couldn't find anything else with USB type C, but looks like the S48c does have type c!
Very tempting. I'll think about it.
I don't need the gadget bling, but FLIR images would have been handy for a few sites that couldn't be convinced to upgrade cooling in their closets and server rooms. Whacking around with a tape measure and extra toolbag weight are minor annoyances. Still, a Swiss Army-knife approach is never as effective as having the right dedicated tools if they're actually justified.
If you don't need the crazy construction related features, I would honestly suggest the greener option of just paying for a battery replacement. You're looking at like $100-$150 to get it replaced, or $25 if you feel up to repairing it yourself (which might be worth it if you're thinking about dropping a grand at a moment's notice anyway). The Nexus 6P is going to outclass any of CAT's phones in terms of performance. The only thing that CAT's phone has on the 6P is that it has 4GB of RAM vs 3GB on the Nexus. Otherwise the camera is better, the SoC is better, the screen is better, and the 6P is going to have more wide spread third party support (which seems like something you want.)
The 6P also has some problems with the wifi and gps chips. I haven't been able to get a reasonable quote for battery replacement, keeping in mind that I can find an identical model for <100 EUR on ebay. So spending $150 on a new battery makes no sense.
I also don't particularly like the 6p, so I suspect I will be getting a new phone and if I'm getting a new phone, I would like it to last 5+ years. I'm sick of replacing devices every 2 years when they should last 5+.
Nexus 6p battery replacement is a high-risk undertaking, or so I've been advised by both professional repairers (who've refused to touch it) and people who've tried it themselves. There's about a 50/50 chance the screen will break while trying to separate the heat-glued case, and the risk of cooking the mainboard if you heat too long. Aftermarket batteries may also lack a thermal sensor, and there's no telling which by part numbers alone.
I know it's disgustingly wasteful to give up on a phone at three years, but I'm not going to attempt the repair without a working phone waiting in the wings.
I don't have any advice but thanks for sharing this. For my next upgrade I just want something that values function over form. I've been considering a blackberry but this is a good option too. A little pricey for me and not that I'd need it but I love the idea of having as many sensors as possible.