Saudi Arabia: infrastructure
The Ju'aymah Gas Plant at Ras Tanura is recognised as the world's largest natural gas liquids fractionation plant.
Saudi Arabia · intrinsically safe
Intrinsically Safe Cell Phone in Saudi Arabia
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. If you are specifying an intrinsically safe cell phone for Saudi Arabia, this page covers the markings, the approvals and the current certification status of the IS-04Z1.
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 topicintrinsically safe
DeviceCell Phone
RouteSpecification
WhereSaudi Arabia
Short answer. The SAMS IS-04Z1 is the intrinsically safe smartphone covered here for Saudi Arabia: pre-launch, designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 (marking target Ex ib IIC T4), with certification in progress and no certificate issued.
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.
At a glance · intrinsically safe
Checklist: intrinsically safe cell phone for Saudi Arabia
| Check | What to look for | IS-04Z1 today |
|---|---|---|
| Level of protection | ia, ib or ic matched to the zone | ib, for Zone 1 |
| Entity parameters | Uo, Io and Po within the device limits | Published with the certificate |
| Accessories | Chargers and cases certified with the device | Defined at certification |
| Where it applies | Saudi Arabia: Abqaiq, Ras Tanura, Ghawar | Classified by the site operator |
Product · Saudi Arabia
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 Saudi Arabia. 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 market · Saudi Arabia
Where an Ex phone is used in Saudi Arabia
Operators and classified areas drawn from the SAMS Saudi Arabia market guide.
Operators, EPCs and contractors
- Saudi Aramco
- Upstream, gas processing, refining and export across the Kingdom
- SABIC
- Olefins, polymers and fertiliser production at Jubail and Yanbu
- SATORP
- Aramco and TotalEnergies refinery and petrochemical complex, Jubail
- YASREF
- Aramco and Sinopec full-conversion refinery at Yanbu
- Petro Rabigh
- Integrated refining and petrochemicals on the Red Sea coast
- Sadara Chemical
- Mixed-feed cracker and specialty chemicals at Jubail
Industrial areas and sites
- Abqaiq
- Crude stabilisation and processing, Eastern Province
- Ras Tanura
- Refinery, tank farm and crude export terminal
- Ghawar
- Onshore field with continuous well and flowline work
- Shaybah
- Remote field and NGL plant in the Empty Quarter
- Khurais
- Central processing facility and associated gas handling
- Fadhili
- Gas plant east of Jubail, expanding under EPC award
Field notes · Saudi Arabia
More about Saudi Arabia that matters for portable equipment
Saudi Arabia: rules and approvals
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.
Saudi Arabia: industry on the ground
Jubail Industrial City was designated in 1975 and is home to SABIC, while Jubail has a population of about 475,000 as of 2022.
Saudi Arabia: logistics and access
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.
The term · intrinsically safe
What “intrinsically safe” means for a smartphone
Intrinsic safety limits the electrical and thermal energy in a circuit so that neither a spark nor a hot surface can ignite a gas or dust atmosphere, even when a fault occurs. The ib level, used for Zone 1, tolerates one fault. It is the usual way to make a handheld device that a worker carries continuously through a hazardous area.
The IS-04Z1 is designed on this principle for Zone 1 and Zone 21 (marking target II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4). Intrinsic safety is a design basis, not a certificate: certification is in progress and none has been issued yet.
In Saudi Arabia. Intrinsic safety suits long rounds at remote facilities such as Shaybah in the Empty Quarter and Khurais, where nothing can be recharged inside the classified area and stores are not close. A handheld that limits ignition energy lets operators photograph, record and communicate on the route without leaving the zone.
The route · specification
Specifying an intrinsically safe cell phone for Saudi Arabia
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 · Saudi Arabia
Frequently asked questions
Can we buy an intrinsically safe cell phone in Saudi Arabia 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 intrinsically safe cell phone in Saudi Arabia cost?
There is no list price yet. SAMS gives indicative pre-launch pricing in writing, against a stated quantity and site, and does not commit to a lead time before certification completes.
What does ‘intrinsically safe’ mean for the IS-04Z1?
The circuits are designed to limit energy so a spark or hot surface cannot ignite a gas or dust atmosphere, even with one fault (level ib, Zone 1). Certification of that design is in progress.
Which sites in Saudi Arabia does this cover?
The market guide for Saudi Arabia covers Abqaiq, Ras Tanura, Ghawar, Shaybah, among others. Site-level pages are linked below.
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.
Which airport serves the Eastern Province industrial area?
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.
What approvals do phones and radios need in Saudi Arabia?
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.
Is the IS-04Z1 suited to Eastern Province summer heat?
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
Keep exploring
Related guides for Saudi Arabia and for Saudi Arabia.
Ex-Proof Mobile Phone Distributor in Saudi ArabiaSame place, different guide
Rugged Mobile Phone Distributor in Saudi ArabiaSame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Supplier in Saudi ArabiaSame place, different guide
Explosion-Proof Mobile Phone in Saudi ArabiaSame place, different guide
IECEx Mobile Phone in Saudi ArabiaSame place, different guide
Industrial Mobile Phone Distributor in Saudi ArabiaSame place, different guide
Saudi Arabia market guideCertification route and regulators
All guides for Saudi ArabiaEvery route we cover
Certification statusWhat is in progress
Enquiry · Saudi Arabia
Ask about the IS-04Z1 for Saudi Arabia
Tell us what you need to equip and where. The SAMS team answers by email with the datasheet and where each certification route stands.
Enquiry · Saudi Arabia
Launching Q4 2026
Planning for Saudi Arabia?
Send the zone and gas group of your site and we will reply with the datasheet and schedule.