United States: rules and approvals
Full certification in the US includes quarterly factory inspections, while field certification offers an alternative for custom or low-volume equipment already at an installation.
The IS-04Z1 is built for people who work inside classified locations at American refineries, gas plants, terminals and wellsites, and for the HSE and IT teams who decide what goes through the gate. This page explains what to look for in an industrial mobile phone for United States, and where the IS-04Z1 stands against that list today.
Pre-launch · certification in progress · Launching Q4 2026
Short answer. The SAMS IS-04Z1 is the intrinsically safe smartphone covered here for United States: pre-launch, designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 (marking target Ex ib IIC T4), with certification in progress and no certificate issued.
For the record, no certificate exists for the IS-04Z1 today. The programme is under way ahead of a Q4 2026 launch. Operator approval runs on its own timeline. Certification status. Place facts reviewed October 2026.
| Check | What to look for | IS-04Z1 today |
|---|---|---|
| Ingress protection | IP rating for dust and water | IP68 design |
| Fleet management | EMM and MDM support | Android 16 with EMM and MDM |
| Explosion protection | A separate certificate and marking | In progress; not issued |
| Where it applies | United States: Permian Basin, Houston Ship Channel, Beaumont and Port Arthur | Classified by the site operator |

An intrinsically safe Android smartphone designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 hazardous areas in United States. 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 United States market guide covers.
Full certification in the US includes quarterly factory inspections, while field certification offers an alternative for custom or low-volume equipment already at an installation.
The National Electrical Code covers hazardous locations in Article 500 for the Class and Division system and in Articles 505 and 506 for the Zone system, as adopted by each state or authority.
The FCC regulates radio frequency devices between 9 kHz and 3000 GHz, and most radio-containing products must follow an equipment authorisation procedure before being marketed.
Zone-rated equipment in the US carries the AEx marking, for example Class I, Zone 0, AEx ia IIC T6, so a datasheet showing only ATEX or IECEx marks does not show US approval.
“Industrial” describes a phone built for plant conditions: sealed, drop-resistant and manageable at fleet scale through Android Enterprise. It does not by itself mean the phone may enter a classified area. Only a device with a valid explosion-protection certificate and marking may do that.
The IS-04Z1 is designed to be both an industrial Android phone (IP68, 4,000 mAh battery, 50 MP camera, Android 16 with EMM and MDM support) and an intrinsically safe one. Its explosion-protection certificates are in progress and have not been issued.
In United States. US fleets combine operator staff with contractor turnover on turnarounds, so EMM and MDM enrolment and retirement must be fast. Android 16 with EMM and MDM support allows IT to apply policy to the handset like the rest of the fleet. Charging takes place in a safe area, away from the truck.
A short checklist for anyone writing or reviewing the specification, with the IS-04Z1 status against each point.
Not today. Until the certificates are issued the IS-04Z1 stays out of classified areas, and until launch there is nothing to purchase. You can ask for the datasheet and the certification schedule, or book a safe-area evaluation unit.
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.
Yes by design: IP68 sealing, a 4,000 mAh battery, a 50 MP camera and Android 16 with EMM and MDM support. The explosion-protection certificates are separate and still in progress.
The market guide for United States covers Permian Basin, Houston Ship Channel, Beaumont and Port Arthur, Lake Charles and Calcasieu, among others. Site-level pages are linked below.
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.
The basin is dry and sparsely built, so summer heat, dust and long drives between sites are typical. Check the operating temperature range, dust ingress rating and battery life, and confirm any operator-specific site rules, including permits and gas detection practice, with the company controlling the lease.
Radio-containing devices such as phones normally need FCC equipment authorisation, either by certification through an approved body or a supplier's declaration depending on the device type. Check the FCC rules and consult an accredited test lab or telecommunication certification body for your product's category.
The Zone 21 design target covers dust at sulfur handling, coal transfer and solids charging, but certification is in progress and no listing exists. Check which Class and Division the final listing covers against your facility's own classification before use.
More on United States, and on other places in United States.
Tell us what you need to equip and where. The SAMS team answers by email with the datasheet and where each certification route stands.
Name the site and the operator and we will send what is available before launch.