Telstra’s new phone is built for tradies, farmers, and outdoor adventurers

The iPhone 6s isn't the only smartphone to go on sale this week, but the new Telstra's Tough Max could easily be described as its polar opposite. As the name suggests, the Telstra Tough Max is rugged handset, pitched squarely at tradies, farmers, and outdoor adventurers.

Boasting an IP67 water resistance rating, a gorilla glass screen, and a padded body, Telstra is hoping customers will have a hard time breaking its latest tough phone. 

In terms of hardware, the Telstra Tough Max features mostly budget to midrange components. It boasts a 4.7-inch 720p display, 13MP rear-facing camera, a 1.2GHz quad-core Snapdragon 410 processor, 2GB of RAM, and 16GB of expandable storage. Notably, the Telstra Tough Max's 2500mAh battery can be recharged wirelessly.

Telstra has given the Tough Max it's "Blue Tick", meaning the handset is able to provide reliable connectivity in rural and regional areas. Users can however plug in an external antenna for better connectivity.

The Telstra Tough Max is available for AUD$480 outright, or on plans starting from AUD$62 per month.