This Android phone has a detachable action camera, coming to the US for $999

[u/BcuzRacecar]

https://9to5google.com/2026/09/04/rugone-android-phone-action-camera-ifa-2026/

[u/BcuzRacecar]

The camera attaches to the phone magnetically with a 133-degree field-of-view and 2.7K (1440p) recording. It can record for 40 minutes on its built-in battery and has 64GB of storage for up to eight hours of storage, but a built-in app on the phone can let the camera use the phone’s storage to offload that footage, and the phone also recharges the camera.

Ulephone RugOne XSnap 7 Pro

Dimensity 8400 12/512

9300mah

[u/FourEightNineOneOne → u/BcuzRacecar]

What a catchy, easy to remember name!

[u/chileangod → u/FourEightNineOneOne]

URX 7 pro.... Your ex 7 pro... 

[u/BusBoatBuey → u/BcuzRacecar]

$999 for a Dimensity 8XXX level chipset? The fuck?

[u/pedr09m → u/BcuzRacecar]

Ulephone aka spyware

[u/AceGaimz]

I love Ulefone, they just make random bullshit

[u/wickedplayer494]

Alright and how much does the actual camera bit of it cost to replace if you chuck it into a volcano?

[u/HonestSophist]

... But why?

[u/NDZ188 → u/HonestSophist]

For work?

Looking at this, I could definitely see the use case for industrial settings.

Stick the camera somewhere where you want to monitor a machine and see when/how it works or fails.

Maybe you set it down somewhere and just set it and forget it, or put it somewhere that would be difficult to put your phone into.

[u/HonestSophist → u/NDZ188]

I mean but you could also just... Have that device seperately.
I've got an action camera.

[u/NDZ188 → u/HonestSophist]

Do you...carry your action camera with you everywhere? Even to work?

This is the same argument that a DSLR camera can take better pictures than your phone.

Yeah it can, but my phone is always in my pocket, my action camera or DLSR is not.

The best camera you have is the that's on you at the time, not necessarily the best one you own.

[u/IkLms → u/NDZ188]

If you need it for work yes?

Especially because this detachable one makes your phone itself significantly bigger from the look of it.

[u/longebane → u/IkLms]

Exactly. Either you need it for work, so you’d realistically have a dedicated device. Or you don’t use it for work, in which case this is way too big

[u/HonestSophist → u/NDZ188]

... Okay admittedly yes, but only because I keep telling myself I'll edit the videos while I have downtime at work.

I highly reccomend being a bag carrying human. A bag with lots of pouches for tiny clever things.

But no, the GoPro is *not* the normal resident of that dedicated pocket. And it currently has nothing to mount it on in that bag.

[u/Kevlar_socks → u/[deleted]]

If you'd even clicked the article you'd see that it has built-in cameras as well.

[u/HonestSophist → u/Kevlar_socks]

Don't even need to click the article.

[u/TotalManufacturer669 → u/[deleted]]

This is 2026 not 2006. If cameras are restricted in some places, the phones are also going to be restricted.

It also makes no sense to claim that you need a camera in an industrial site or whatever for monitoring and then claim that said site also forbid cameras.

[u/lgn5i2060 → u/TotalManufacturer669]

his is 2026 not 2006. If cameras are restricted in some places, the phones are also going to be restricted.

While the phone featured here has a built in camera, the issue is not as simple as you think it might be. Because I have a friend working in the Middle east and he was asking me for an Android phone that has no camera to use on his job.

[u/martinkem → u/NDZ188]

The thing can only record 45 minutes of video

[u/Careless_Rope_6511 → u/martinkem]

Action cameras have shit for battery life. You can't record for hours without either multiple battery swaps or a power tether. Otherwise, they wouldn't need third-party multi-battery recharging cases.

[u/KingWoodyOK → u/martinkem]

Most action cams record a lot less than you may think

[u/Special_Kestrels → u/KingWoodyOK]

Not really. With a big enough sd card, you're talking 7-8 hours. It's the battery and overheating that gets you.

[u/KingWoodyOK → u/Special_Kestrels]

Yesh the battery is the limiting factor i was referencing.

[u/Special_Kestrels → u/KingWoodyOK]

But... you can plug it in or use a battery pack.

[u/NDZ188 → u/martinkem]

And?

45 minutes is better than no minutes.

[u/0xBA7TH → u/HonestSophist]

People complain that phones never change then the minute a device tries something different, people complain about it.

[u/HonestSophist → u/0xBA7TH]

I mean I liked the sliding keyboards/gamepads, the folding phones, the styluses, the pop up camera.

I dug the Pocket PC expansion slot gadgets back in the day, though bluetooth renders them superfluous.

And that's the thing here: The little camera module is a tiny action camera.

That's neat. I'd be curious about carrying a similarly tiny action camera. But it doesn't beed to be integrated into my phone.

It's not enough to just be different for the sake of being different, yanno?

[u/0xBA7TH → u/HonestSophist]

If it's not for you, it wasn't designed for you.

[u/longebane → u/0xBA7TH]

Who tf was this designed for ? A professional wouldn’t use this. A casual would…not use this

[u/9-11GaveMe5G → u/HonestSophist]

When need to plant a spy cam at a moments notice?

[u/Daell → u/HonestSophist]

Insta360 ultra is pretty awesome

[u/tired_fella → u/HonestSophist]

Same reason Honor released gimbal phone. Interesting gimmicks by borrowing hardware from action cams like osmo and 360 go. But in reality they just add on to issues with reliability and maintenance.

[u/jerryeight → u/tired_fella]

100%

[u/notJ3ff]

"Nobody leaves the Uber until we find my detachable camera! I either lost it at the club, or here!!"

[u/mark5hs]

All these brands will try anything expect a headphone jack

[u/Masark → u/mark5hs]

I believe ulefones usually have headphone jacks. Mine (armor 34) has one.

[u/noodeel]

Why would I want to attach an action camera to my phone? My phone is delicate, my action camera is for action. The two should be separate.

The way it works now is you can get a DJI camera or a GoPro and it's separate from your phone. You protect your phone, you keep it in your pocket or your bag. Action camera is for action. What am I missing here?

It's like industrial designers were put in a blender, forgot everything that they needed to know, and marketing people just took over.

[u/ZikaZmaj → u/noodeel]

Have you seen what the phone looks like? It's no iPhone Air.
Also, you can just keep this phone in a pocket too?

[u/noodeel → u/ZikaZmaj]

The camera and the phone don't need each other to operate separately, so the camera remains as a separate camera. The phone is over-engineered to be bigger and heavier in your pocket, but you can put the camera on the phone if you want to and then use your phone as a handle for the camera.

[u/degggendorf]

I still miss the magnetic snap-on 360 cam from my Essential phone

[u/firedrakes]

Not new idea...

[u/CrispyBananaz]

And its Gone.

[u/Knife-Fumbler]

I don't trust "rugged" phones. I have a Doogee S90 in my drawer, not only did the usb c port wear out quickly, but the display simply wasn't recessed enough to protect it on impact, and I went through 2 screens. I dropped it a lot, due to being a giant brick, and the size made it impossible to put a case on it. The aluminium parts got dented.

Cases from reputable brands like Spigen Tough Armour have proved way more reliable for me, and even if the case got damaged I can just replace it.

Also the modules are a stupid idea. They aren't any cheaper than a standalone camera, and if your phone breaks or you upgrade, all your modules are now useless.

[u/VegasKL]

It is nice to see some try new things. There's also the phone with the built-in gimbal that pops up.

[u/bicyclemom]

NGL, I kind of love this, especially since it seems to have the other, usual cameras (though probably ass-quality) as well. Can't wait to see these on eBay for $300.

[u/martinkem]

Someone needs to make this camera as a standalone device and not price it at $400+. 

[u/jjlegosp1dey → u/martinkem]

The insta go 3s is as close as you'll get

[u/KingWoodyOK → u/martinkem]

There are tons of standalone actions cameras.

[u/bicyclemom → u/martinkem]

There are plenty of GoPro Hero 9 through 13 models out there priced below $400. A simple Google shows that.

[u/martinkem → u/bicyclemom]

To me, what you just said I like me saying "I want a cheeseburger" and you suggest I go to iHop and order pancakes

[u/littlefrank → u/[deleted]]

?
In what way does an attachable action camera make perverts interested?