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Najran Industrial City covers 6.5 million square metres, about 45 km north-east of Najran city.
Marble and granite processing is a growing sector, supported by local gold, copper, iron and ornamental stone deposits, so quarrying and stone-cutting dust is part of the working environment. Najran Industrial City, developed by MODON about 45 km north-east, and the region's mining complexes create some classified areas, though demand is smaller than in the Eastern Province. This page explains what to look for in a rugged mobile phone for Najran, 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 Najran: 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.
| Check | What to look for | IS-04Z1 today |
|---|---|---|
| Ingress protection | IP65 to IP68 sealing | IP68 design |
| Drop and shock | A stated drop height onto concrete | Specification on request |
| Explosion protection | A separate certificate and marking | In progress; not issued |
| Where it applies | Najran: Chemical and plastics manufacturing, Mining and quarrying operations, Stone and industrial dust areas (Zone 21) | Classified by the site operator |

An intrinsically safe Android smartphone designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 hazardous areas in Najran. 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.
Najran Industrial City covers 6.5 million square metres, about 45 km north-east of Najran city.
The Najran region has 90 factories, 29 of them inside Najran Industrial City, and 27 mining complexes covering more than 5,400 square kilometres, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
Copper and zinc reserve zones covering another 70 square km are identified near Najran, pointing to possible future mining and processing work.
Factories in the region cover food processing, chemicals, plastics, paper and non-metallic minerals, so hazards range from solvents to combustible dusts.
Saudi Arabia's Communications, Space and Technology Commission issues radio type approval, renewed every two years, and accepts European test documents for handsets.
The city lies in the fertile Wadi Najran, a valley that has long been a crossroads of caravan routes, so industrial work sits close to farmland and water sources.
A rugged phone is built to survive water, dust, drops and rough handling, usually rated by an IP code and a drop specification. Ruggedness is an environmental property: it says nothing about whether a phone may be used where flammable gas or dust is present. That is decided by explosion-protection certification and marking.
The IS-04Z1 combines both: an IP68 sealed rugged build and a design for Zone 1 and Zone 21 (marking target Ex ib IIC T4). The explosion-protection certificates are in progress and none has been issued.
In Najran. Najran sits at about 1,300 m and its hot desert climate is a few degrees cooler on average than Riyadh, but dust is still a factor at mines and quarries. IP68 on the IS-04Z1 helps against dust ingress. It is not explosion protection, and datasheet limits should be checked.
A short checklist for anyone writing or reviewing the specification, with the IS-04Z1 status against each point.
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.
It is designed to IP68 sealing, with glove-friendly controls. Ruggedness is not explosion protection: that depends on the certificates, which are in progress.
Likely candidates are chemical and plastics manufacturing, mining and quarrying operations, stone and industrial dust areas (zone 21). Which areas are classified, and to what zone, is set by the site operator's own area classification drawings.
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.
Smaller than in the Eastern Province. The area has factories making chemicals, plastics, paper and food products, plus quarrying and mining, so classified areas exist but are mainly in individual plants. Each factory or mine sets its own approval rules.
The city is about 1,200 to 1,300 m above sea level and is a little cooler than Riyadh, but still hot desert. Handsets still need heat tolerance, and long supply lines mean spare batteries and chargers should be carried.
The target marking, II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4, refers to gas atmospheres. Dust areas such as Zone 21 call for dust-related protection, which is a different marking. Certification is still in progress, so do not assume dust suitability. Ask the supplier directly and confirm with the factory's safety officer.
Other guides for Najran, other places in Saudi Arabia, and the pages behind them.
Tell us what you need to equip and where. The SAMS team answers by email with the datasheet and where each certification route stands.
Tell us the zone, gas group and operator. We will send the datasheet and the certification schedule.