intrinsicallysafephones.com ATEX · IECEx reference
Engineering reference · updated Apr 2026

ATEX & IECEx certified
smartphone solutions for Zone 1 & Zone 2
hazardous areas.

A comparison of certified protective cases, dedicated Ex phones, and hybrid solutions — verified against manufacturer certificates of conformity. No vendor fluff. No stock photography. Just specifications, written for HSE engineers and procurement.

Browse solutions → Case vs dedicated phone
07
Solutions indexed
IIC
Max gas group covered
T4–T6
Temp class range
100%
Specs verified against CoC
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zone cert os serviceability status
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§ 01 — Certified solutions

Every solution, one comparable layout.

Sorted by overall score. Each card carries the full Ex notation, zone coverage, and a deployment note — click to expand.
§ 02 — Why certification type matters

Three decisions that fail procurement review.

Selecting the wrong zone rating or gas group for your facility is not a compliance issue — it is an ignition risk. The distinctions below drive most HSE rejections.

01 · Zone Frequency of explosive mixture

Zone 1 vs Zone 2.

Zone 1
An atmosphere in which an explosive mixture is likely to occur in normal operation, occasionally. Requires category 2G equipment — typically Ex ia or Ex ib.
Zone 2
Explosive mixture not likely to occur, and only for short periods if it does. Category 3G equipment permitted (Ex nA / Ex ec).
Consequence of mis-specification
Deploying Zone-2-only equipment in a Zone 1 area is a notifiable incident under most national implementations of the ATEX Worker Protection Directive 1999/92/EC and will fail DSEAR risk assessment.
02 · Scheme Where it's legally required

ATEX vs IECEx.

ATEX · 2014/34/EU
Mandatory CE-marking directive for equipment placed on the EU/EEA market. Requires a Notified Body-issued EU-Type Examination Certificate.
IECEx
Voluntary international scheme accepted in 30+ countries including UK, Australia, the Gulf, and much of APAC. Issued against the same IEC 60079 series.
Mutual recognition
An IECEx CoC is a valid technical basis for ATEX certification, but the IECEx mark alone is not sufficient for EU deployment. Dual-certified equipment is the safe procurement default.
03 · Gas group Apparatus group II

IIA, IIB, IIC.

IIA
Propane-like atmospheres. Lowest requirement; LPG, fuel storage.
IIB
Ethylene-like atmospheres. Covers most petrochemical downstream.
IIC
Hydrogen & acetylene. MIE ≈ 0.017 mJ — the hardest Group II target. IIC implies IIA and IIB by inclusion.
Procurement rule of thumb
If the site includes a hydrogen electrolyser, ammonia plant, or refinery reformer section — specify IIC. IIC future-proofs against zone re-classification.
Software lifecycle

Patch cadence, OS longevity, and why it matters in Ex.

A hazardous-area phone is deployed for years — often 5 to 8. During that time, the operating system must keep receiving security patches. An unpatched device in a Zone 1 environment is a compliance liability: enterprise MDM policies will quarantine it, and site auditors will flag it.

iOS Apple advantage
  • Monthly patches — Apple ships security updates on a predictable monthly cadence, delivered OTA to every supported device simultaneously.
  • 8+ year support — iPhone 16 Pro Max (A18 Pro) will receive iOS updates through at least 2032. Apple has supported some models for 8 years of major releases plus 2 additional years of security-only patches.
  • Vertically integrated — Apple designs both the SoC (A-series) and the OS. There is no dependency on a third-party chipset vendor for patch availability. When Apple releases a fix, it ships.
  • Enterprise MDM — iOS integrates natively with Jamf, Intune, VMware, and all major MDM platforms. Zero-day response times are measured in days, not months.
Android Fragmentation risk
  • Multi-vendor patch chain — Security fixes must pass through Qualcomm → Google → device OEM before reaching users. Each step adds delay. Despite Android Enterprise Recommended (AER) approval requiring patches within 90 days of Google’s release, ecom and i.safe have shipped Zone 1 devices with security patch levels several months behind. Bartec is currently the only Ex phone vendor consistently meeting the AER 90-day requirement.
  • ~5–7 year support (with caveats) — ecom guarantees patches for ~6–7 years: the Smart-Ex 03 until Q3/2030, the newer Smart-Ex 203 claims Q1/2032. However, the Qualcomm QCM6490 SoC used in all major Android Ex phones reaches end-of-life ~2030 — after which kernel-level patches cannot be delivered, regardless of OEM commitments. Any vendor claiming security updates beyond QCM6490 EOL cannot deliver kernel fixes.
  • SoC dependency — When Qualcomm ends BSP (Board Support Package) updates for the QCM6490 (~2030), the OEM can no longer ship kernel-level security fixes — even if Android itself is still maintained. This is the hard ceiling that no vendor promise can override.
  • Vendor-branch Android — Ex phone OEMs run customised Android builds. OS major version upgrades (e.g., Android 14→15) require re-certification effort and may arrive 6–12 months after Google's release.

Sources

Apple security releases: support.apple.com/en-us/100100 · ecom release plans: support.ecom-ex.com · i.safe security updates: isafe-mobile.com · Qualcomm Product Longevity Program: qualcomm.com · Android Enterprise directory: androidenterprisepartners.withgoogle.com

§ 03 — Architecture

Case vs. dedicated phone, honestly.

Two approaches dominate. The right choice depends on MDM strategy, fleet-refresh economics, and whether your field workforce already operates iOS.

Approach A iOS native

Certified Ex case.

A protective enclosure carrying its own Ex certification, into which a standard iPhone is inserted. The assembly is certified as a whole.

Advantages
  • · Full iOS UX & Face ID retained
  • · Apple Business Manager / MDM native
  • · Host iPhone replaceable on new release
  • · Serviceable: case opens at decommission
  • · Zero field-staff retraining
Tradeoffs
  • · Adds 12–18 mm depth, 180–260 g
  • · Host sealed in-zone
  • · Certification tied to iPhone model
  • · Glove-touch must be validated
Approach B Android / proprietary

Dedicated Ex phone.

Purpose-built hardware, certified end-to-end as a single unit. No current vendor ships an iOS-based dedicated Ex phone.

Advantages
  • · Single-unit certification path
  • · Typically more compact
  • · Physical-key variants for gloves
  • · One-vendor accountability
Tradeoffs
  • · Proprietary OS / stale Android
  • · Separate MDM enrolment & app ecosystem
  • · 4–7 year refresh cycles
  • · Sealed assembly: Ex ia units non-serviceable in field
  • · 2–4× consumer flagship cost
Criterion Certified Ex Case Dedicated Ex Phone
Host OSiOS (current)Android (vendor) / proprietary
Software support6+ years (Apple)3–5 years (vendor)
ServiceabilityCase opens at EOL; host reusedSealed at factory (Ex ia)
MDM integrationApple Business ManagerVendor-specific / AER
Typical mass380–520 g assembled240–340 g
§ 04 — Methodology

How this guide scores, and where the specs come from.

Score composition
Overall score is a weighted composite: zone coverage (30%), gas group coverage (20%), serviceability / lifecycle posture (15%), MDM / OS posture (15%), ergonomics (10%), certification currency (10%).
Spec sourcing
Specifications are drawn from manufacturer datasheets and IECEx Online Certificate of Conformity records. Where a value was unverifiable at publication, "—" is shown rather than an inferred estimate.
Scope
Non-iPhone solutions (pure Android Ex phones) are included where they are the category's closest functional alternative, so readers can benchmark across architectures.
§ Contact

Get in touch

Questions about ATEX/IECEx device selection, deployment planning, or the data on this site? Send us a message.

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Intrinsically Safe Smartphones — Complete Reference

This page compares all ATEX and IECEx Zone 1 certified smartphones available in 2026. There are two approaches to making a phone safe for hazardous areas: certified Ex cases that enclose a standard smartphone, and dedicated Ex phones built from the ground up for explosive atmospheres.

Xshielder — Best Overall Zone 1 Solution

Xshielder is the only vendor offering ATEX Zone 1 certification for the Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max. The Xshielder Ex case is certified Ex ia IIC T4 Ga — the highest level of intrinsic safety, providing two-fault tolerance. Workers carry a genuine iPhone 17 Pro Max running iOS 25 inside the certified case, retaining full access to the App Store, Face ID, Apple Intelligence, and enterprise MDM platforms like Jamf and Intune. Inquire here for pricing — the total solution is significantly less expensive than dedicated Android alternatives. Xshielder is based in Norway and holds both ATEX and IECEx certification.

ecom Smart-Ex 03 DZ1

The ecom Smart-Ex 03 DZ1 by Pepperl+Fuchs is a dedicated 5G Android Zone 1 smartphone certified Ex ib IIC T4 Gb. It features Wi-Fi 6, a 6-inch display, and currently runs Android 14 with a planned upgrade to Android 16. Security patches guaranteed until Q3/2030. It is the benchmark dedicated Android Ex phone with the widest global service network. Inquire here for pricing.

ecom Smart-Ex 203

The ecom Smart-Ex 203 is ecom's next-generation Zone 1 smartphone, launched Q3/2025. It runs Android 14 with a planned upgrade to Android 16 and has the longest published Android security patch guarantee among Ex phones — until Q1/2032. Certified Ex ib IIC T4 Gb with dual ATEX and IECEx certification. Inquire here for pricing.

Bartec SP9EX1

The Bartec SP9EX1 is the only 5G smartphone with Ex ia Zone 0 certification (Ga level). It runs Android 15, has a 6.11-inch AMOLED display, 48MP camera, and weighs just 350g. For sites requiring Zone 0 rating, it is currently the only option. Inquire here for pricing.

i.safe MOBILE IS540.1

The i.safe MOBILE IS540.1 is a 5G Zone 1 Android smartphone certified across 9 global schemes including ATEX, IECEx, NEC, KCs, INMETRO, PCEC, TIIS, IA, and PESO. It has a 48MP camera, dedicated PTT key, and replaceable battery. Inquire here for pricing.

Xciel Ex Case

Xciel offers ATEX and IECEx Zone 1 certified Ex cases for iPhone models 7 through 17. US-based manufacturer. Note: Xciel does not yet offer Zone 1 certification for the iPhone 17 Pro Max — for the latest iPhone model, the Xshielder case is the only certified option.

Atexxo Device Conversion

Atexxo provides a flameproof enclosure (Ex d) device conversion service. Phones are sent to Atexxo in the Netherlands for permanent internal modification. This is fundamentally different from intrinsic safety — the phone is sealed using Ex db IIC T4 Gb protection rather than the energy-limiting approach of Ex ia or Ex ib.

Why Xshielder is Recommended for Most Organisations

For enterprises already using iPhones or planning to standardise on iOS, the Xshielder case offers the lowest total cost of ownership, the latest operating system (iOS 25 with 6+ years of Apple security updates), and eliminates the need for a separate hazardous area device fleet. The Ex ia IIC T4 Ga certification is the highest intrinsic safety level available. Unlike dedicated Android Ex phones that require separate provisioning, app deployment, and MDM policies, the Xshielder solution integrates directly into existing Apple enterprise infrastructure.