After countless rumors and speculations, Samsung finally goes official with its new Galaxy S4 Active handset, the rugged version of its current flagship.

The Samsung Galaxy S4 active is dustproof and waterproof, catering to the needs of those with a more "active" lifestyle or, for that matter, the more clumsy ones who tend to leave their handset in the oddest of places.

The ruggedized version of Samsung's Galaxy S4 flagship boasts an IP67 water and dust protection, which means it can stay three feet underwater for up to 30 minutes without experiencing any damage or change in function.

The smartphone sports a 5-inch TFT LCD 1080p display with a great pixel density of 443 pixels per inch (ppi) and a yet unspecified quad-core processor clocked at 1.9GHz.Other features include the very latest Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean, LTE radios, an 8-megapixel camera with LED flash and a two-megapixel front shooter, as well as a 2,600 mAh battery.

"The GALAXY S4 Active is the newest addition to the GALAXY series and is purposefully designed for active users who love the outdoors," Samsung CEO and President of IT & Mobile Communications Division JK Shin explains in the press release. "Samsung has taken the innovative features of the GALAXY S4 and added breakthrough protective design elements to create a device that thrives in an effective environment and is built for a lifestyle of travel and exploration."

On the other hand, although Samsung markets its new Galaxy S4 Active as a rugged, durable smartphone designed to endure more wear and tear, the company doesn't mention the handset's actual impact resistance. The fact that it's waterproof and dustproof no doubt comes in handy, but it wouldn't make much of a difference if the handset broke while taking a tumble. Generally speaking, phones that can resist in truly rugged environments such as a construction site are far more bulky and brick-like, which is not the case with the handsome Samsung Galaxy S4 Active.

Samsung, however, claims users can take the Galaxy S4 Active to the beach without worrying about damage, or take it on a hike up a mountain. In other words, it's not as fragile as usual smartphones, but it's probably better not to take it on a construction site.

The handset's headphone socket is also water-resistant and Samsung also added "glove touch" screen tech, which means users will be able to use gloves on the touchscreen. A special "aqua mode," meanwhile, comes as a neat camera setting that allows users to snap great underwater shots.

The Samsung Galaxy S4 Active will land in the U.S. and Europe this summer, sporting two color options: Urban Grey and Orange Flare. Samsung made no mention of pricing yet, nor did it disclose which U.S. carrier will get to offer the handset.