Samsung Electronics on Friday debuted its new Galaxy XCover Pro, a rugged smartphone that features a removable battery, a feature long gone in today’s smartphone market.

The compact phone, priced at 275,000 won ($231.80), comes in black and white and features a 5.3-inch LCD display as well as a waterproof and dustproof body.

The most distinctive feature is a 3,000 mAh replaceable battery that lasts long enough for all-day use and supports a quick charge rate of up to 15 watts.

Upon its launch, the nation’s top three telecom carriers -- SK Telecom, KT and LG Uplus -- started promotions for the budget phone for kids, offering special plans consisting of educational contents.

By Ahn Ju-hee (dianahn@heraldcorp.com)