Bullitt Group, known for making rugged mobile phones, has recently been tasked with making devices that allow users to send and receive messages from anywhere, thanks to the advent of satellite communications. Bullitt Group has partnered with MOTOROLA to launch the MOTOROLA Defy 2 Bi-directional Satellite communication phone, which also offers the option of a MOTOROLA Defy Satellite Link device, enabling any Android or iOS device to communicate in the wild.
The MOTOROLA Defy 2 has been tested to pass drop tests on steel plates up to 1.8 m /6 ft. It can survive 24 hours in extreme temperatures (-30°C/-22° F-75 °C/167°F) and withstand moisture, including salt spray. During use, the phone is protected by a special silver ion antibacterial coating. Once you get home, you can clean the phone with soap and disinfectant.
Powered by a Mediatek Breguet 930 chipset, the Moto Defy 2 phone boasts 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, which you can expand using a microSD slot. It runs Android 12 and will be updated to version 13 and the higher v14. It will get quarterly security updates for the first 3 years, and then emergency SMR updates for the next 2 years.
Featuring a 6.6-inch Gorilla Victus glass display with FHD+ 20:9 resolution and 120Hz refresh rate. Touch screens can be used with gloves and wet fingers. There’s an 8-megapixel selfie camera, a fingerprint reader on the back, a 50-megapixel main camera (f/1.8), an 8-megapixel ultra-wide Angle module and a 2-megapixel macro camera. The phone is powered by a non-detachable 5,000mah battery that can be charged at 15W via a wire and also supports Qi charging.
You can send a message to anyone from anywhere you can see the sky (and they’ll receive it as a text message). Each message is up to 140 bytes long and supports Unicode, which means that all writing systems are covered. You can also attach your location to the message. People can receive your message without a special module or software, but if they want to reply, they have to download the free Android /iOS app.
The service starts at $5 / €5 per month for a basic plan that can send up to 30 messages. There’s also a premium plan for $30 / €30 that lets you send up to 400 messages a month. In addition, you can receive free SOS assistance for 12 months. The service will be available in Europe and North America in the first quarter. It will then expand to the ANZ region, Africa and Latin America by the middle of this year. Other regions will be included by the end of the year.
What if you want to keep using your current phone and only occasionally use satellite text messages? That’s what the MOTOROLA Defy Satellite Link is for. It’s a small portable device that clips onto your backpack and is controlled via a Bluetooth-enabled phone. It is IP68 dust and water resistant and has been tested for MIL-STD-810H
Defy Satellite Link is very small, measuring 70 x 50 x 11mm and weighing 70g. It is powered by a 600mah battery and lasts a few days. Even if you lose your phone, you can still use the SOS button. The automatic position recording is indicated by one of the leds.
The MOTOROLA Defy 2 will be available at select carriers in North and South America during the second quarter. Prices start at $12, which includes 12 months of SOS Assist.
The MOTOROLA Defy Satellite Link will be available worldwide in April 2023. The device costs $100 individually, or you can subscribe to the Essentials Messaging Plan(up to 30 two-way messages per month) for $150 for 12 months. Check MotorolaRugged.com for details.
