While most phones are just slabs with a side of glass, the Xsnap 7 Pro attempts to do merge something a little unusual – being rugged – with something wholly unique: a built-in detachable action camera. That earned it an Innovation Award at IFA 2026.
The concept seems to have a little in common with the best POV cameras – like the Insta360 Go Ultra or the DJI Osmo Nano – but the detachable camera pops out of a phone, not just a charging case, as we see in my colleague Gareth's reel:
The 'rugged' phone category is a major niche, popular amongst tradespeople and people who'd just rather the handset – rather than a case – could survive a few impacts. the best rugged phones have also been home to some of the most interesting experimental features, with thermal and night vision cameras, not to mention laser measures amongst some of the options out there.
Indeed, this device also features a 64MP night vision camera, but that's far from unique.
The Xsnap 7 Pro builds on this tradition, but targets creators with a detachable POV (Point Of View) camera. This is a tiny action camera, like a tiny GoPro.
The device isn't going to trouble the best action cameras in terms of resolution – it maxes out at 2.7K – but so too did the Insta360 Go 3, and that device, so light it could easily be worn on a helmet, or tied to a pet's collar.
The detachable camera is a 50MP unit and uses magnets to keep it in place (and charge itself via pogo pins on the device). It can, thus, be easily popped out and attached to any ferrous metal structure: the fridge door, a railing, a tent pole and so on.
Accessories available include a charging dock and a magnetic pendant, not unlike those seen with other POV action cameras.
Away from the phone, the 39g camera has up to 40 minutes of recording time.
It has a dedicated capture button on the camera, and a 133-degree field of view, as well as image stabilization software called 'SteadyX' which even features a horizon lock function, as well as slow-mo, distortion correction, and free-frame video, putting it up there with recent action cams.
The phone also boasts a 6.67-inch AMOLED display, 12GB RAM, MediaTek Dimensity 8400 chipset, and a 9300mAh battery (enough to recharge the detachable camera 20 times).
There are more details of the Xsnap 7 Pro on RugOne's own site, but until we test it here, we can't vouch for the quality. And, despite an award at IFA, the camera also has a "Launching Soon" page on Kickstarter, which suggests that the company might not be as confident as the award suggests.
IFA was the official debut, so perhaps that Kickstarter just needs tidying away?
