Compact, ultra-rugged smartphone with 4-inch screen and action cam
6.2.2026
Translation: machine translated
Smartphones with a small screen are a rarity. The Fossibot F116 Pro comes with a 4-inch screen and is also intended to serve as an action cam.
About ten years ago, smartphone manufacturers were still building small and compact devices as a matter of course. In 2016, for example, the popular iPhone SE was launched on the market. The Sony Xperia XZ2 Compact from 2018 was then one of the last smartphones with a small screen that was also technically impressive.
As thick and robust as a Nokia 3310
Fossibot is now harking back to the good old days of compact smartphones. The F116 Pro has a 4.05-inch screen. Its screen only offers HD resolution with 540 × 1168 pixels and no OLED technology, but a refresh rate of 120 hertz. That's enough for such a small screen.
The device measures 11.5 centimetres in height and 5.9 centimetres in width. To accommodate all the technology and the 3700 mAh battery, however, the smartphone is twice as thick as current devices. The 2.3 centimetre thickness is reminiscent of the original Nokia 3310.
The F116 Pro is also designed to be small and indestructible. It is IP68 and IP69K water and dust resistant. You can spray it down with a high-pressure cleaner, for example. The manufacturer has also protected the device against damage in accordance with military standard 810H. It can withstand the drop test from a height of 1.5 metres.
Processor is ok, features very good
Many such niche phones have a problem: they are cheap and therefore have a simple built-in processor. This is less of an issue with the F116 Pro. The manufacturer relies on the MediaTek Dimensity 7300-Ultra, an older mid-range processor. The device comes with Android 16 ex works, but it is not known whether and which new versions it will receive. The manufacturer guarantees security updates for three years.
The other features are impressive: the processor comes with 12 GB of RAM. The internal memory of 256 GB can be expanded by up to 1 TB with memory cards. In addition to the memory card, the device offers two slots for SIM cards - both are 5G-capable. You can unlock it using facial recognition or the fingerprint scanner on the side. The battery charges with a maximum of 33 watts.
Source: Fossibot
I am also an action cam
The Fossibot smartphone offers three cameras: the selfie cam has a resolution of 32 megapixels, the main camera 50 megapixels. There is also a wide-angle lens with a 48-megapixel sensor. With an angle of 150 degrees, it should offer the look of an action cam.
So that you can use the sturdy smartphone accordingly, the manufacturer has installed a classic screw thread at the bottom. This makes many accessories compatible - from tripods and tripods to chest straps or helmet mounts to mounts with magnets, screw clamps, clips or suction cups. I cannot judge how good the image quality actually is based on the data.
Source: Fossibot
The Fossibot F116 Pro is to be launched on Kickstarter shortly. The price is still unknown. You can currently register for the pre-sale on the manufacturer's website.
If you haven't heard of the Chinese manufacturer yet, you're just like me. Fossibot is currently expanding worldwide. The smartphones are also available in our shop. The F116 Pro should therefore also make it to us after the Kickstarter campaign and the start of regular sales. However, this is likely to take until the summer.
Header image: Fossibot
Lorenz Keller
Senior Editor
Lorenz.Keller@digitecgalaxus.chGadgets are my passion - whether you need them for the home office, for the household, for sport and pleasure or for the smart home. Or, of course, for the big hobby next to the family, namely fishing.
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