At MWC25, Sonim Technologies’ Simon Rayne shared how the company is accelerating growth across the EMEA region by delivering on its rugged device promise. In just a year since announcing its market expansion, Sonim has launched two professional-grade, consumer-rugged smartphones and has more on the way. Backed by a growing network of partners across Europe and South Africa, Sonim is strengthening its presence across carriers, channels, and retail.
Rayne also unveiled Sonim’s upcoming thermal imaging smartphone, developed in partnership with FLIR and built with the FLIR Lepton 3.5 camera module. Designed for industries like HVAC, plumbing, maintenance, and aviation, the device blends durability with advanced thermal capabilities. With Android Enterprise certification, industry-grade specs, and unmatched rugged performance, Sonim’s portfolio continues to stand apart from conventional smartphones—offering reliability, enterprise-grade features, and peace of mind for users who need performance in any environment. Watch the full interview now to see what’s next in rugged mobility.
Alejandro Piñero:
All right, Simon, thank you so much for having us here in the Sonim meeting room at MWC. One year ago, it seems like just yesterday, you guys announced right here that you were launching into EMEA. Give us an update. What have you been up to for the last year? Where can we find you?
Simon Rayne:
Well, good question. We have actually delivered on what we said we were going to do a year ago. It does seem like yesterday. But we announced that we were coming more into the consumer and professional rugged market. We've actually achieved that. We've already launched two new professional consumer-rugged devices into the EMEA market and also outside of that. And we also have announced two more devices to come in May.
So it's great progress on the product front. Equally, we've made a lot of progress on the new partner and new customer front as well. So we've actually got new partners across the Nordics, into Benelux, into the German region, Central and Eastern Europe, UK and beyond, and also in South Africa. So we are really well poised to build that business across carriers, the channel, and also into retail.
Alejandro Piñero:
Brilliant. And just thinking ahead now, we've read that you'll be launching a thermal phone later this year. Maybe that's one of the ones you were mentioning there in the previous answer.
Simon Rayne:
Yes.
Alejandro Piñero:
Who needs the phone? Oh, there we go. We've got it here.
Simon Rayne:
So here it is.
Alejandro Piñero:
So who needs that phone? What purpose does it serve?
Simon Rayne:
Yeah, it's a good question because, first of all, who needs a rugged phone? And we're finding right now, I mean, everybody knows the feeling of smashing a screen on their beloved iPhone or whatever that might be at the time. And we're finding that everybody needs a smartphone nowadays. Larger data packets, sending images across, sending more data applications. So effectively people need rugged phones because they last longer.
You're not afraid of taking them out and actually using them from a day-to-day basis and protecting them. So we sell mostly to tradesmen, to individual companies who actually need devices that last longer. And they also want the guarantee, a Sonim guarantee, if you like, that if they do actually damage the products, then they are actually supported and have a warranty to back that up. On the thermal imaging camera side, we're super excited because this is a product that has been tried in the market.
We know there's a huge installed base of customers, whether it's tradesmen like plumbers, electricians, even HVAC, that sort of thing, all the way into manufacturing or even in maintenance such as in aviation or that sort of thing. Many people actually have a use for this device. So we're super excited to actually partner with FLIR, and the brand... the device is actually Sonim and FLIR branded using their FLIR Lepton 3.5 camera module on the device.
Alejandro Piñero:
Wow. Well, you mentioned a lot of targets there. As a parent of a very clumsy seven-year-old, I think I'm going to have to get my hands on one of these.
Simon Rayne:
We'll help you.
Alejandro Piñero:
Simon, how about building a bit more on why we need this phone, right? I mean, we've got the iPhone with the IP68. We've got other durable, rugged phones. What stands you apart?
Simon Rayne:
Yeah, so that's a fair question. You've got enhanced water ingress protection on many consumer devices right now and of course people like their day-to-day iPhones. What we provide is a very specialized product. Everything that we have is Android Enterprise recommended, so it's heavily supported and even down to European Commission standards.
The chip sets we use are the equivalent or better than the mainstream high-end product out there, but what they're really looking forward is a premium experience in a device that they're not afraid to use. And when you talk about this, you can say, "Well, maybe soccer moms would want to get their hands on this device," or as you say, put it in the hands of your kids. But actually there are a lot of serious people out there who actually want a device that they're not afraid to use.
Alejandro Piñero:
Absolutely.
Simon Rayne:
And actually, when it's this beautiful, not afraid to have it seen in public.
Alejandro Piñero:
Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. Well, listen, congratulations on all the progress you've made in just one year over here in EMEA.
Simon Rayne:
Thank you.
Alejandro Piñero:
And I'm excited to hear what your success will be like in the next year.
Simon Rayne:
Thank you so much.