First ruggedized Android smartphone with UWB – Blackview BV8900 Pro

Recently, I have been testing a lot of Android phones, but one feature that I feel is really missing from these phones is UWB support. UWB, or ultra-wideband, is a low-energy, short-range radio technology that has been around for a few decades (it was formerly known as “pulse radio”).

UWB uses extremely fast signal pulses, up to a billion per second, sent across a broad spectrum of radio frequencies (from 500MHz to several gigahertz).

Because of this feature, UWB can be used for more than just applications like locating other UWB devices. It can also withstand interference problems that Wi-Fi and Bluetooth cannot handle.

The most well-known use of UWB is probably AirTags, but that is only available to iPhone users. Support for UWB on Android is still limited, but it is improving gradually.

Here, I look at Blackview’s BV8900 Pro, which is the world’s first ruggedized smartphone to feature UWB. 

Blackview BV8900 Pro tech specs

• OS: Doke OS 3.1, based on Android 13
• Display: 6.5-inch, 1080×2408 FHD+, 405 pixels-per-inch, low-blue-light certified, Corning Gorilla Glass 7
• RAM: 8GB (+ 8GB virtual RAM)
• ROM: 256GB
• Processor: MediaTek Helios P90, octa-core, 2.2GHz
• Rear cameras: 64-megapixel, 8-megapixel, and 2-megapixel
• Front camera: 16-megapixel
• Battery: 10000mAh, with 33W fast charging
• SIM: Dual SIM support
• Biometric: Fingerprint and face recognition
• Water/dustproofing: IP68, IP69K, and MIL-STD-810H
• Finishes: Black, orange, and green 

The BV8900 Pro appears to be similar to many of the other Blackview smartphones that I have tested and reviewed. It is a large smartphone with a toughened glass display and a black rubber casing.

The 10000mAh battery and rubber add bulk to the device, but in exchange, the battery provides approximately 13 hours of video watching time and more than a month of standby time.

The device is designed to be dropped and abused, and water, dirt, dust, mud, or high/low temperatures are no match for it. There’s even a lanyard loop built into the handset, so you don’t lose it in the jungle or over the side of a boat while you’re being battered by storms.

The phone has a powerful Helios P90 chip that keeps everything running smoothly without draining your battery life. It has 8GB of RAM that is backed up by another 8GB of virtual RAM. The phone also has reverse charging, so you can use it as a power bank and send power to other devices. I had no lag or stuttering issues at all when using this phone.

In addition, the BV8900 Pro has UWB support, which does not mean much right now given the current state of support for UWB on Android; however, I expect this situation to change over the coming months as Google deploys its rival to Apple’s Find My network and UWB locater tags for Android, which are similar to AirTags.

Ruggedized handsets can, by virtue of being encased in rubber, cause the processor to overheat and be throttled; however, the cooling system—which consists of silicon and graphite heatsinks, and an array of copper cooling pipes—keeps the chip cool, even under heavy loads.

However, to get you going, the BV8900 Pro comes with a UWB tracking tile that you can attach to your keys, pet dog, or whatever else you want to keep an eye on.

At $216, the Blackview BV8900 Pro is a reasonably priced option for those seeking a robust smartphone with an enormous battery capacity and future-proof design thanks to its integrated UWB technology.