Climate
Hot desert climate with a July record of 51 C; coastal conditions favour sealed equipment.
Yanbu · IECEx
IECEx Smartphone in Yanbu
Saudi Arabia's Communications, Space and Technology Commission handles radio type approval; certificates are renewed every two years and European test documents are accepted. Its refineries, petrochemical plants and export terminals create Zone 1 and Zone 21 areas for operators and contractors. This page explains what to look for in an IECEx smartphone for Yanbu Industrial City, and where the IS-04Z1 stands against that list today.
Pre-launch · certification in progress · Launching Q4 2026
Marking targetEx ib IIC T4Intrinsic safety, Zone 1 / 21 design target · certification in progress
AvailabilityQ4 2026via authorised distributors
Search topicIECEx
DeviceSmartphone
RouteSpecification
WhereYanbu
Short answer. The SAMS IS-04Z1 is the intrinsically safe smartphone covered here for Yanbu Industrial City: pre-launch, designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 (marking target Ex ib IIC T4), with certification in progress and no certificate issued.
Status: pre-launch. IECEx, ATEX, UKEX and NEC 500 certification is in progress and no certificate has been issued; launch is planned for Q4 2026. Operator approval runs on its own timeline. Certification status. Place facts reviewed October 2026.
At a glance · IECEx
Checklist: IECEx smartphone for Yanbu Industrial City
| Check | What to look for | IS-04Z1 today |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate of conformity | Number checkable on the IECEx online register | In progress; not issued |
| Standards edition | The IEC 60079 edition the certificate cites | Stated on the certificate when issued |
| Schedule of conditions | Limits of use, batteries and accessories | Published with the certificate |
| Where it applies | Yanbu Industrial City: Refinery process units, Petrochemical plants, Crude and product storage and loading | Classified by the site operator |
Product · Yanbu
The product behind this search: the SAMS IS-04Z1.
SAMS IS-04Z1
An intrinsically safe Android smartphone designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 hazardous areas in Yanbu. It is pre-launch: IECEx, ATEX and NEC 500 certification is in progress ahead of the Q4 2026 launch.
- IP68 sealed
- 4,000 mAh battery
- 50 MP camera
- Android 16
- Zone 1 / Zone 21 design target
The site · Yanbu Industrial City
Yanbu Industrial City at a glance: who is there, what is classified
A short profile of the site and the kinds of classified area that matter for portable equipment.
Operators and companies on site
- SAMREF (Aramco and ExxonMobil affiliate)
- YASREF (Aramco and Sinopec)
- Saudi Aramco (Yanbu refinery)
Classified areas to expect
- Refinery process units
- Petrochemical plants
- Crude and product storage and loading
- Marine terminals
Local conditions · Yanbu Industrial City
Conditions in Yanbu Industrial City that affect handheld equipment
Refineries
Yanbu hosts three oil refineries; SAMREF was commissioned in 1984 and, like YASREF, is listed at about 400,000 barrels a day.
Field notes · Yanbu Industrial City
More about Yanbu Industrial City that matters for portable equipment
Yanbu Industrial City: logistics and access
The port handles about 1,800 vessels and over 84 million tonnes of cargo a year, including crude oil, so marine and jetty work is continuous.
Yanbu Industrial City: logistics and access
Its terminals include general cargo and container, bulk, export refinery and chemical, crude oil, NGL and LPG terminals, so hazardous cargo handling is spread along the coast.
Yanbu Industrial City: logistics and access
Yanbu is reached from the east by the East-West crude pipeline of about 1,200 km, which can bring up to 7 million barrels a day from the Eastern Province.
Yanbu Industrial City: infrastructure
King Fahd Industrial Port is about 25 km long and covers 50 square km, with 34 berths and a stated capacity of 210 million tonnes a year.
The term · IECEx
What “IECEx” means for a smartphone
IECEx is the international scheme for certifying equipment used in explosive atmospheres. A certificate of conformity is issued by an accredited certification body against a specific edition of the IEC 60079 standards and carries a schedule of conditions of safe use. It is not a legal requirement in most countries on its own, but many national schemes accept it as the technical basis.
The IECEx certificate for the IS-04Z1 is in progress and has not been issued. The marking target is Ex ib IIC T4, the intrinsic safety concept for Zone 1 gas with the hardest gas group (IIC) and a 135 °C temperature class.
In Yanbu Industrial City. Because SAMREF and YASREF involve international partners, contractors and EPCs arriving at Yanbu may already work to IECEx. A reviewer would look for the certificate of conformity and the schedule of conditions. For the IS-04Z1 these remain targets only, as certification is in progress.
The route · specification
Specifying an IECEx smartphone for Yanbu
A short checklist for anyone writing or reviewing the specification, with the IS-04Z1 status against each point.
Check on the paper
- Marking
- Equipment group, category, protection concept, gas group and temperature class, matched to the area drawing.
- Certificate and schedule
- A certificate number, issuing body and the schedule of conditions, not a brochure claim.
- Standards edition
- The IEC 60079 or national standard edition the certificate was issued against.
Check for the IS-04Z1
- Marking target
- II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4: a target, not yet a certificate.
- Certificate status
- IECEx, ATEX, UKEX and NEC 500 in progress; none issued.
- Operator approval
- Separate from the certificate and handled with the site operator.
Questions · Yanbu
Frequently asked questions
Can we buy an IECEx smartphone in Yanbu today?
No. Nothing can be bought or taken into a classified area today: certification is in progress and launch is planned for Q4 2026. What is available now is the datasheet, the written certification schedule and evaluation units for safe-area use.
What does an IECEx smartphone in Yanbu cost?
SAMS has not published a price. Any figure you are offered for an uncertified Ex phone should be treated with caution; written indicative pricing is available for a defined quantity and site.
Does the IS-04Z1 hold an IECEx certificate?
No. The IECEx certificate is in progress and has not been issued. SAMS will publish the number when it exists.
Which areas at Yanbu Industrial City would use it?
Likely candidates are refinery process units, petrochemical plants, crude and product storage and loading, marine terminals. Which areas are classified, and to what zone, is set by the site operator's own area classification drawings.
Is intrinsically safe the same as explosion proof?
Not exactly. Explosion proof is a broad everyday term; intrinsic safety is one protection concept, which limits energy so ignition cannot occur. Flameproof (Ex d) is a different concept that contains an explosion. The IS-04Z1 is intrinsically safe by design.
How is Yanbu connected to the east of the country?
The East-West crude pipeline of about 1,200 km can deliver up to 7 million barrels a day to Yanbu from the Eastern Province. Road and air links also exist, but heavy equipment normally arrives through the port; confirm routing and permits with the client.
Which part of Yanbu has the classified areas?
Mostly the industrial city in the south, with its refineries and petrochemical plants, and the port about 20 km south of Yanbu town. Yanbu Al-Bahr in the north is the main residential and commercial area, so offices and hotels are separate from the plants.
Does coastal exposure affect handset choice at Yanbu?
Yes. With a hot desert climate, a July record of 51 C and a Red Sea coast, sealed equipment is favoured. IP68 helps against dust and splash, but heat and salt exposure should be checked against the datasheet. Ingress protection does not replace the Ex marking needed for classified areas.
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ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Distributor in YanbuSame place, different guide
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Saudi Arabia market guideCertification route and regulators
All guides for Saudi ArabiaEvery route we cover
Certification statusWhat is in progress
Enquiry · Yanbu Industrial City
Ask about the IS-04Z1 for Yanbu Industrial City, Saudi Arabia
Send the site, zone and gas group and roughly how many handsets. We reply by email with the datasheet and the certification schedule.
Enquiry · Yanbu Industrial City
Launching Q4 2026
Planning for Yanbu?
Send the zone and gas group of your site and we will reply with the datasheet and schedule.