Hi! Today I will unbox the CAT S22 Flip, a dumb rugged phone. I bought this because I thought “I cannot go back to Japan without buying this phone while I’m studying abroad!” In this article, I unbox, set it up, and give a first-impression. I will write a specific review later. Please wait for it!

Spec

• Vendor: Bullitt Mobile Ltd.
• Qualcomm 215
• RAM: 2GB
• Storage: 16GB eMMC
• Display: 640x480 IPS (60Hz)
• OS: Android 11 R
• Camera
  • Main:5MP(GC5035)
  • Selfie:2MP(GC02M2)
• Frequency Band
  • 4G:1/2/3/4/5/7/12/13/20/25/26/28/38/39/40/41/66/71
  • 3G:1/2/4/5/8/BC0/BC1/BC10
  • GSM:850/900/1,800/1,900
    

Intention

I have used rugged devices, for example, Panasonic ToughPad FZ-X1 and UMIDIGI BISON X10Pro, so I was so interested in this phone since its release. Moreover, I have used Android dumb phones, for example, true move H SMART4G 3.5 Hybrid and KYOCERA GRATINA 4G KYF31, so I guess buying this keeps with the flow. This time, I used eBay to buy it, the price was $74.99. It was my first time with eBay, but I used it easily. A weak yen…

Unbox

The Box

The phone is a little big, so the box was so much bigger than I expected.

It is “Brand New”, but the production date is December 2020, so a long time in the warehouse brought a lot of dust on the phone. See it actually is okay, but through the camera I can see some dust on it.

Accessories

It’s so simple.

• Quick Start Guide
• Safety Guide
• Wall charger
• USB-A to C Cable
• USB-C 3.5mm Audio Adaptor
• Li-ion Battery (2,000mAh)
  Removable battery is not rare in dumb phone, but I mainly use smartphone, so I felt it’s fresh experience. These days, it is so normal to omit wall charger with phone, but it includes. Kind!
  By the way, the adaptor is analog connection type, so it cannot use with some devices. (ex. Google Pixel)

Startup

The back panel fastens with a screw. After loosening it and putting the battery inside it, and long pushing the red button, it started up.

I have used several types of devices, but it is my first time seeing a portrait on the boot screen.

First setup

It is Android dumb phone, but it is different from “Known one”. In Japan, this kind of phones are customized very much and don’t have Google Services, but it has it and almost vanilla Android, so not so different from normal Android devices.

Language

This phone mainly focused the U.S. so of course it has English, also Spanish, and French. There is no Japanese, so after the setup send command from ADB to this phone enables use Japanese on it.

    adb shell settings put system system_locales ja-jp
    adb reboot

After reboot, except original feature turned into Japanese.

Update

After connected to Wi-Fi network by using QR code from another phone, it got update.

Transfer

Nowadays, it became so easy to transfer to new device. What should I do is brought both devices closer. I was afraid that type Google Account with 10-key keypad, but the feature blew it.

Truth

This phone has the name “CAT” a heavy machinery company, but it is the licensed product by Bullitt a British company. However, it is IP68 water-proof, MIL-SPEC 810, and certified Non-Incendive Class I Div2, Group A-D, T4 device, so it can use in hazardous location. I guess they make this phone “CAT”. Even FZ-X1 did not have hazardous area certification, so it is first time with such a device.

First Impression

It looks so buff, and it makes “rugged” image, so I think it’s. different between I have ever used like KYOCERA KYF31. Its SoC is Qualcomm 215, it took away “Snapdragon” despite 200-series had it until 210. The SoC, Qualcomm 215 is often used for Android dumb phone like KYOCERA G’z one Type-XX and mobile Wi-Fi hotspot. It’s weak chip, so it gets heat while setting up and installing so many apps, but this phone tuned well, so I don’t think any problem. It works properly. Currently annoying point is

• Does not support 5GHz Wi-Fi
• Pogo pin charger is not sold
• Does not have strap hole
  

Photos

Yeah, it's not Snapdragon...

On eBay page, it described as “locked phone”, but it’s “unlocked”. I checked it by insert random Japanese SIM card, it worked as “unlocked”. Lucky!

I'm waiting for charger.

Main and Selfie camera both sensor made by GalaxyCore, a Chinese vendor.

Conclusion

I’m so glad to get the phone that I wanted for 2years. 10-key input is hard for me, but I’ll use it properly and review. Please wait!