Cross-border access
The Johor-Singapore Causeway links the city to Singapore, so supply and specialist services often move between the two.
Johor Bahru is the state capital of Johor at the southern tip of Peninsular Malaysia, next to Singapore. With a 2020 population of 858,118, Johor Bahru is Malaysia's largest state capital by population, and the surrounding district is the country's second-largest by population and economy, giving a deep local labour pool. An industrial smartphone distributor in Johor Bahru and Pasir Gudang would carry the IS-04Z1 to these buyers once certification completes.
Pre-launch · certification in progress · Launching Q4 2026
Short answer. Johor Bahru and Pasir Gudang 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. An operator's own vendor approval is a separate step. 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 | Johor Bahru and Pasir Gudang: Refinery and petrochemical process units (Pengerang), Fuel and chemical storage, Port liquid bulk terminals | Classified by the site operator |

An intrinsically safe Android smartphone designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 hazardous areas in Johor Bahru. It is pre-launch: IECEx, ATEX and NEC 500 certification is in progress ahead of the Q4 2026 launch.
A short profile of the site and the kinds of classified area that matter for portable equipment.
The Johor-Singapore Causeway links the city to Singapore, so supply and specialist services often move between the two.
Hot and humid all year with about 2,350 mm of annual rain, concentrated in the monsoon periods.
The city forms Zone A of Iskandar Malaysia, the country's largest special economic zone by investment value, and is part of the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone and the Indonesia-Malaysia-Singapore Growth Triangle.
Johor Bahru has an equatorial climate with steady temperatures, daily averages between about 26 and 28 degrees Celsius, high humidity all year, around 2,350 mm of rain a year and no cyclones.
Local industries include plastic manufacturing, electrical and electronics and food processing, so the city is a base for factory and warehouse work, while the heavy petrochemical sites lie further out in Johor.
Rail from the city to Woodlands in Singapore was built in the 1880s and 1890s, the Peninsula railway extension finished in 1909, and the Causeway opened in 1923, so cross-border links are long established.
“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 Johor Bahru and Pasir Gudang. Large plants buy through their own procurement and HSE departments, and fleets mix permanent staff with maintenance contractors. EMM and MDM support lets an administrator enrol and retire devices as crews change. Charging should be in a safe area, and cross-border contractors may need devices configured to company policy before arriving.
SAMS is appointing authorised distributors ahead of the Q4 2026 launch. No territory has been granted for Johor Bahru and Pasir Gudang yet and applications are reviewed company by company. Because a certified Ex device cannot be opened by an ordinary phone workshop without invalidating its certificate, SAMS looks for partners who can provide competent technical support and after-sales service locally.
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.
Likely candidates are port liquid bulk terminals, petrochemical and oleochemical plants, refinery and petrochemical process units (pengerang), fuel and chemical storage. Which areas are classified, and to what zone, is set by the site operator's own area classification drawings.
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 Johor Bahru and Pasir Gudang.
An equatorial climate with high humidity, around 2,350 mm of rain a year and steady warm temperatures means moisture ingress and condensation are the main concerns. Devices typically need good sealing and cleaning routines, subject to the plant's rules.
Its position beside Singapore, the Iskandar special economic zone and the Causeway make cross-border supply practical, though customs procedures and border queues apply. Confirm duty treatment, radio type approval and site gate requirements with your freight agent.
No. Pasir Gudang is an industrial estate with a port and many plants, while Pengerang is a separate complex east of Johor Bahru. Each operator sets its own procurement, HSE and classification rules, so ask the specific plant for its requirements.
Other guides for Johor Bahru, other places in Malaysia, and the pages behind them.
Share the site details and quantity. You will get the datasheet and the certification schedule back by email; pricing is indicative only until launch.
Send the zone and gas group of your site and we will reply with the datasheet and schedule.