A majority of mobile phone users in the UAE are concerned that busy outdoor lifestyles can mean that their handsets are at risk of being damaged by the elements such as sand, sea water, and scratches, a survey said.

Eighteen per cent of respondents said scratches to the screen were a primary element that could damage their handset, while 17 per cent said damage from being knocked due to their phone being constantly in and out of their pockets, rucksack or handbag was a major concern, in a survey conducted by YouGov Siraj, a full-service market research company.

A further 12 per cent were concerned about water, such as the sea, coming into contact with their phones and five per cent feared sand and dust particles getting into the handset. A total of 47 per cent of respondents said that all of the combined UAE elements were cause for worry when it came to their phones.

“It is clear from the survey results that UAE mobile phone users need a handset that can handle the elements and everything life throws their way,” said Mahmoud Sayed Ahmed, marketing director, Middle East, Motorola Mobility.

“To cater for this demand, Motorola is this week launching the DEFY - a slim and pocket-able Android smartphone that comes equipped with a 3.7-inch high-resolution, scratch-resistant touch screen display that provides edge-to-edge views of your favorite websites, photos and videos.”

“The phone is also water resistant as well as being dust proof to protect it from life's little challenges such as spilt liquids, sudden rain or being dropped in the sand. DEFY is essentially a connection hub wrapped in a layer of protection,” explained Ahmed.

DEFY also features a 5-megapixel camera, CrystalTalk PLUS to vanquish noisy environments and an Adobe Flash Lite-enabled Web browser, while maintaining the same access to Google services as that available on the FLIPOUT phone, including Google Search, Google Maps and Gmail.

DEFY is Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA)-enabled, allowing it to stream, store and share content with compatible devices around the home such as HDTVs, game consoles and PCs, a statement said.

The connected music player provides the option to display lyrics to songs and enables users to discover, buy and download music directly from the phone. – TradeArabia News Service