8849 Tank 3 Pro by Unihertz runs on stock Android 13 and there are minor differences with the software on the Tank 3. The main and most noticeable difference is a simple one - the Tank 3 has a cyan accent color for its UI and the Tank 3 Pro has a pastel purple UI accent color which is way easier on the eyes. The default Lock and Home screen wallpaper is also less flashy even though it is animated. The layout of the elements on the Lock Screen is the same with a huge Time widget, a tiny Date widget, and basic status bar icons. When landing on the Home Screen, one sees the second software difference - the presence of the dedicated Projector app, of course. The Tank 3 lacks a projector but has a laser rangefinder with its own dedicated app.
The Home Screen has the usual Google search bar on the top and the standard two rows with applications at the bottom. Desktop shortcuts are supported. Google Discover is on by default and is accessed after a swipe to the right from the Home Screen. The Task Manager lists the app previews horizontally with the usual options for entering split-screen mode and accessing the app info. There's a "Clear All" icon at the bottom of the screen. The default launcher arrives with an app drawer and from the Home Settings, you can change that by turning on the "Menu mode switch" toggle. The Home Settings is accessed via the customization picker, from where you can also change the wallpaper, UI themes, widgets, etc. It lets you disable or enable Google Discover, the notification dots, and change the icon size. The Notifications shade and Quick Settings pages have a traditional Android 13 layout and design. You can always add/remove toggles from the Quick Settings list to fit your personal needs. A toggle for turning on/off the projector is also included.
8849 Tank 3 Pro by Unihertz arrives with exactly the same set of preloaded apps as the Tank 3. As already mentioned above, the laser rangefinder app is replaced by the projector app as the only difference in this context. The app has a simple on/off function, while the settings are accessed from the Proector option in the Settings app. The list includes Assistant, Calculator, Calendar, Camera, Chrome, Clock, Contacts, Drive, Files, FM Radio, Gmail, Google Discover, Keep Notes, Maps, Meet, Messages, Phone, Photos, Play Store, Safety, Sound Recorder, YouTube, and YT Music. One of the additional applications is the "Student mode" if your phone will be used by a kid or a student and you want to manage the content one accesses. Another additional app is the ZaZARemote. It uses the IR blaster and can be set up as a remote control for home electronics such as TVs and appliances such as air conditioners.
"Toolbox" is another typical app for ruggedized smartphones but the one on the Tank 3 Pro contains some features that are not found on every device. For starters, there's an app serving the barometer for showing the air pressure. Then there's a Clean Water & Dust feature for when you immerse the device in water or dust/dirt. It is some kind of a self-cleaning feature. The camping light has also a dedicated feature from within the Toolbox in addition to being accessed directly by the red physical button on the left frame. There's an additional app that imitates various sirens, manages the red and blue emergency lights as well as features such as an always-on light and a flashing light to use as signaling. Additional tools include a noise measuring app, bubble level, compass, protractor, magnifier, flashlight, underwater camera, etc. There's the "Mobile Management" app with a direct link to the battery saver, a network manager, an app blocker, lock, and freezer.
The Settings list comprises 23 groups with a settings search bar on top. That's with one more compared to Tank 3 because the Projector settings are included in the list. For each group, there's a color symbol in front. The first is "My Device" which doubles the information provided in the last group in the list - "About Phone". They both provide information about the model, its basic hardware specifications, IMEI numbers, build version, etc. "Network & Internet" is the second group of settings and from here you manage your mobile connections, SIM cards, mobile data, Wi-Fi connections and preferences, Wi-Fi hotspots, and Wi-Fi Direct. The "Connected devices" menu is third and manages your Bluetooth connections, Cast display, NFC, etc. The fourth menu manages your applications. The fifth is called "Intelligent Assistance". It contains a toggle that locks the notifications shade and it cannot be opened on the Lock Screen. There's also a toggle for enabling the ringtone volume to increase gradually. Fingerprint sensor vibrating properties are also included as well as settings for call recording. Finally, it is from here that you can virtually expand the model's RAM. After each change, the device must be rebooted. The "Notifications" group contains all the standard Android settings for managing the device and app notifications.
"Shortcut settings" is the eighth menu and allows you to set various functions and services to the two physical keys on the left frame of the device. You can make one of those a dedicated button for the camping light and the other a PTT key, for example. Moreover, you can assign an app or a service depending on three types of interaction with each button - a single press, a double press, and a long press on it. It is followed by the "Battery" menu which is discussed in the dedicated section of this review and the "Storage" menu with a toggle for the Storage Manager and a direct link to the Files app. The "Sound & Vibration" menu is next and remains unchanged with its four volume-level bars, DND mode, ringtones, Live Caption, vibration and haptics, and various specific toggles. The "Display" group follows and here we see the third main difference and we must say it is a significant one - the addition of a 60Hz mode for the display. If you remember, the Tank 3 lacked a 60Hz mode. It is now available on the Tank 3 Pro. Moreover, Unihertz has added an "Auto select" refresh rate mode, which means the device changes the refresh rate depending on the content providing a combination of optimal power efficiency and quality content viewing. This feature was not available on the Tank 3. The display settings also let you set up the brightness level, switch on/off the adaptive brightness toggle, manage the lock screen notifications, set the screen timeout period, switch on/off the dark theme, set font size, switch on/off the night light, edit the icon shape and body font, set up a screen saver, enable the lift-to-wake feature, choose the refresh rate, etc. The "Wallpaper & style" menu is at the twelfth place allowing you to customize the wallpapers, UI colors, theme icons, etc.
The "Accessibility" group follows, comprising the usual options for assisted app management, viewing/hearing content, etc. It is here that you will find the "System controls". These comprise the system navigation - the place where you select on-screen gestures or virtual buttons for navigation and customize them. The same feature is to be found in System => Gestures. There's also a toggle for enabling the power button to end calls and another one for auto-rotating the screen. The "Security" group comprises the four default services - Google Play Protect, Security Update, Find My Device, and Google Play System Update. They are followed by screen lock settings, options for creating and managing fingerprint ID(s) and a face ID, and more security settings which on a second screen open the Smart Lock options, Device admin apps, Encryption & Credentials, Trust agents, and App pinning options. The next menu is about "Privacy" which begins with the Privacy Dashboard that offers an overview of which apps recently have used permissions. It continues with the permission manager to control app access to your data, several toggles for app-specific permissions, autofill service from Google, location history, activity controls, ads management, and usage & diagnostics. It is followed by the "Location" menu which again deals with privacy but in the context of granting access to your location information to apps and services. The "Safety & Emergency" menu is the "Safety" app in its essence, containing the same options. The "Passwords & Accounts" menu is next and is about managing your passwords saved on the device, autofill service, synced accounts, etc. It is followed by the usual "Digital Wellbeing & Parental Controls" and "Google" settings.
"System" and "About Phone" are the last two groups of settings. The "System" one is about managing your languages and input, gestures settings including the system navigation options, date and time, backing up data, resetting the device, managing multiple users' access to the device, and checking for updates. It also contains a feature that was present on older Android versions - schedule power on and off. The "About Phone" menu contains another system update option and all other info that can be accessed from the "My Device" menu.
