Saudi Arabia: infrastructure
The Ju'aymah Gas Plant at Ras Tanura is recognised as the world's largest natural gas liquids fractionation plant.
The IS-04Z1 is a Zone 1 and Zone 21 handset for people who work inside classified areas in the Kingdom: field operators, maintenance and inspection engineers, and the HSE and telecoms teams who equip them. Ras Tanura is served by King Fahd International Airport in Dammam and a private Aramco airport, and a two-lane road joins the Dhahran to Jubail Highway, with a bridge to Safwa. An ATEX and IECEx smartphone distributor in Saudi Arabia would carry the IS-04Z1 to these buyers once certification completes.
Pre-launch · certification in progress · Launching Q4 2026
Short answer. Saudi Arabia has no appointed SAMS distributor yet: the IS-04Z1 is pre-launch (certification in progress, no certificate issued, launch planned for Q4 2026), and distributor applications are open.
Where things stand: the IS-04Z1 has not launched, and none of its four certification routes has produced a certificate yet. A buyer's engineering review is separate from the certificate. Certification status. Place facts reviewed October 2026.
| Check | What to look for | IS-04Z1 today |
|---|---|---|
| Marking | II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4 on the rating plate | Design target; not yet marked |
| EU-type examination certificate | Notified body number and certificate ID | In progress with TÜV; not issued |
| IECEx certificate of conformity | Number listed on the IECEx online register | In progress; not issued |
| Where it applies | Saudi Arabia: Ghawar, Shaybah, Khurais | Classified by the site operator |

An intrinsically safe Android smartphone designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 hazardous areas in Saudi Arabia. It is pre-launch: IECEx, ATEX and NEC 500 certification is in progress ahead of the Q4 2026 launch.
The main operators, industrial areas and sites that the SAMS Saudi Arabia market guide covers.
The Ju'aymah Gas Plant at Ras Tanura is recognised as the world's largest natural gas liquids fractionation plant.
The Communications, Space and Technology Commission issues type approval certificates valid for two years, with no local representative required; Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization safety certification needs a local representative.
Jubail Industrial City was designated in 1975 and is home to SABIC, while Jubail has a population of about 475,000 as of 2022.
The Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu was established in 1975 to develop two coastal industrial centres, Jubail on the Arabian Gulf and Yanbu on the Red Sea.
ATEX is the European legal framework for equipment used in explosive atmospheres (Directive 2014/34/EU). IECEx is the international certification scheme built on the IEC 60079 standards. Buyers outside Europe often ask for both: an IECEx certificate is the technical evidence most national regimes build on, while ATEX is the legal route into the European market.
For the IS-04Z1 both routes are in progress with TÜV in Germany and neither certificate has been issued. The marking target is II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4: equipment Group II (surface industry), Category 2 (Zone 1 gas), protection concept ib (intrinsic safety), gas group IIC and temperature class T4.
In Saudi Arabia. A Saudi procurement or HSE reviewer working with Saudi Aramco or SABIC affiliates would expect certificate evidence that can be traced to a named scheme, with marking, ambient range and conditions of use. A dual ATEX and IECEx route would also help international EPCs and contractors, such as those on Aramco gas projects, who bring their own approvals to the Eastern Province.
Distribution of the IS-04Z1 is by authorised partners only, and SAMS has not yet granted a territory for Saudi Arabia. Each application is reviewed on its merits. Because opening a certified Ex handset in an ordinary workshop invalidates its certificate, the partner must be able to support and service the device locally.
Not yet. The IS-04Z1 is pre-launch and its certification is still in progress ahead of a Q4 2026 launch. No unit goes into a classified area before the certificate covering it exists. The datasheet, the certification schedule and safe-area evaluation units are available now.
No price is published. While certification is in progress there is no list price and no committed lead time, and a supplier quoting a firm figure for an uncertified Ex handset is promising something it cannot stand behind. Indicative pre-launch pricing is issued in writing against a stated quantity and site.
Not yet. Both routes are in progress with TÜV in Germany and no certificate has been issued. Any listing that says otherwise is wrong.
The market guide for Saudi Arabia covers Abqaiq, Ras Tanura, Ghawar, Shaybah, among others. Site-level pages are linked below.
Apply through the distributor page with your company details and the territory you cover. SAMS reviews applications company by company and has not yet granted a territory for Saudi Arabia.
King Fahd International Airport in Dammam serves Ras Tanura and the wider Eastern Province, and the Dhahran to Jubail Highway links the main coastal sites, so most visits start from Dammam with road transfers arranged by the host.
The Communications, Space and Technology Commission issues a type approval valid for two years, and Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization certification applies for safety and conformity. SASO needs a local representative. Confirm current requirements per model.
The design targets heat, humidity and dust with a rugged build and IP68 sealing. The T4 target and the certified ambient range are what matter, and they will be published with the datasheet and certificate. Confirm both against the highest ambient temperature at your plant before specifying.
Related guides for Saudi Arabia and for Saudi Arabia.
Share the site details and quantity. You will get the datasheet and the certification schedule back by email; pricing is indicative only until launch.
Name the site and the operator and we will send what is available before launch.