RugOne used IFA 2026 to showcase an unusual take on the rugged smartphone: the X-Snap 7 Pro, a device that integrates a removable action camera directly into the body of the phone.
During our visit to the RugOne booth, the company demonstrated how the camera module can be detached from the handset and used independently for action footage, first-person recording and more creative shooting angles. Rather than treating the camera as a simple accessory, RugOne has designed the X-Snap 7 Pro around the idea that the phone and action camera work together as one system.
The action camera slides directly out of the phone
The defining feature of the X-Snap 7 Pro is immediately visible on its back.
A dedicated camera module can be released from the handset and slid out of its housing. Once removed, it becomes a fully functional standalone action camera.
During the booth demonstration, the RugOne representative described the camera as capable of recording at 2.8K resolution at 30 frames per second, with a 133-degree wide-angle field of view.
The camera can also be operated independently using a physical button on the module itself, allowing users to start and stop recordings without having to interact with the phone.
The phone becomes a wireless viewfinder
Once the camera is detached, the X-Snap 7 Pro can act as its remote display.
During the demonstration, the representative connected the two devices wirelessly and showed a live camera feed on the phone. The system can be used in both horizontal and vertical orientations, making it potentially useful for conventional video as well as social-media content.
The representative also highlighted image stabilization during the live demonstration, showing how the camera feed remained relatively controlled while the module was being moved.
The idea is simple: the user can position the action camera somewhere away from the handset while continuing to monitor the shot on the smartphone.
The detachable camera is exclusive to the X-Snap 7 Pro
We specifically asked whether the removable camera could also be used with other RugOne phones.
According to the representative, the module is designed specifically for the X-Snap 7 Pro and is not intended as a universal accessory for the company’s other devices.
That makes the camera an integral part of the phone’s overall concept rather than a separate product that happens to work with it.
Docking the camera also recharges it
The camera module returns to its slot in the phone when it is no longer needed.
One of the advantages of this arrangement is that the phone can recharge the camera when it is docked. According to the representative at the booth, the X-Snap 7 Pro’s battery is large enough to recharge the action-camera module up to 20 times.
That could be particularly useful for longer outdoor trips or extended filming sessions, where carrying an additional charger for the action camera would be inconvenient.
The trade-off is visible in the size of the handset itself. The X-Snap 7 Pro is clearly a substantial rugged phone, but the large body also helps support the combined smartphone-and-camera concept.
RugOne wants flagship-like performance in a rugged body
The company also emphasized that the X-Snap 7 Pro is intended to feel closer to a conventional high-end smartphone than to the slower rugged phones often associated with this category.
The representative described the processor as a high-performance platform and compared the overall experience to flagship smartphones such as Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Ultra.
That comparison should be understood as the company’s own positioning rather than a performance conclusion from our short booth demonstration. Still, the message from RugOne was clear: durability is not supposed to come at the expense of everyday responsiveness.
As the representative put it during the presentation, the concept is to create “a rugged phone that feels like a normal flagship smartphone.”
Magnetic accessories turn the camera into a POV system
The detachable design becomes more interesting when combined with RugOne’s accessory system.
At the booth, we were shown several magnetic mounting options for the camera module. One allows the camera to be positioned on the user’s head for a first-person perspective.
This could be useful for activities such as cooking, product unboxings, outdoor sports or any situation where both hands need to remain free.
Because the camera can be repositioned independently from the phone, users can also adjust its angle without moving the handset.
A handheld accessory targets more cinematic shooting
RugOne also demonstrated a larger magnetic accessory intended for more controlled handheld footage.
The camera module attaches magnetically, allowing the user to hold and move it in a way that resembles a small dedicated filming rig.
The representative positioned this as an option for users who want smoother, more deliberate camera movements rather than simple action-camera footage.
What makes the concept interesting is that the same small camera module can move between several roles: integrated smartphone camera, standalone action camera, POV camera and handheld filming device.
A different approach to the rugged-phone formula
Most rugged smartphones differentiate themselves with durability, oversized batteries or specialist features. With the X-Snap 7 Pro, RugOne is putting content creation much closer to the center of the product.
The detachable action camera is not simply another camera sensor on the back of the phone. Removing it physically changes how the device can be used.
For users who regularly carry both a smartphone and a separate action camera, that combination could be genuinely useful. It remains a niche concept, but it was also one of the more distinctive rugged-phone ideas we encountered at IFA 2026.
The real appeal of the X-Snap 7 Pro will depend on how well the detachable camera performs outside a controlled trade-show environment, but RugOne’s concept is certainly more ambitious than simply adding another lens to the back of a rugged handset.
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Comments (3)
Nice concept, bit bulky though. Recharging camera 20x sounds wild but battery drain on phone? Also wonder about waterproof seal when docked. meh, promising.
Hmm cool idea but is the live feed laggy? 2.8K@30fps ok, but wireless viewfinder latency could ruin POV shots, anyone tested outside the booth?
Whoa this is clever, a camera that rips out of the phone? If it actually works like that, game changer. Curious about battery life, durability in mud tho