Replacing intrinsically safe tablets: discontinued models, successors and what to look for in 2026

This guide lists the discontinued tablets in our database and what replaced them, flags current models whose support ends soon, and covers how long an older tablet can stay in service. It ends with what to look for when the replacement comes around, because a fleet change is the best moment to check whether the tablet still fits the work.

Signs it’s time to replace your hazardous-area tablets

A tablet doesn’t stop being certified when its maker stops selling it, so the trigger is usually something else. The most common are the end of security updates, which can lock a tablet out of company apps and networks, and the end of repairs and approved spare batteries. A certificate that has been cancelled or suspended is another, as is a change in the work, for example a team that now needs Zone 1 instead of Zone 2, a wider temperature range or a camera good enough for inspection records.

Discontinued tablets and what replaced them

The table lists the discontinued tablets in our database, with the model that took their place in the maker’s range where there is one. Notes on support and certificates come from the makers and the IECEx database, checked in October 2026.

Zone 0 and Zone 1 fleets with no named successor

The hardest replacements are the Zone 0 tablets. The BARTEC Agile X IS and the Getac EX80 have no Zone 0 or Zone 1 successor from their makers, and the Aegex line has ended. The only current tablet in our data rated for Zone 0 is the Eaton MTL GECMA IS Tablet PC, which carries the Aegex 100M’s specifications and is rated for Zone 0 only inside the carry case Eaton supplies. Teams that used those tablets in Zone 1 have a wider choice, covered on our best Zone 1 tablets page.

Rugged Ex versions without a successor

Dell, Panasonic and Zebra have stopped making Ex versions of their rugged tablets, and Winmate’s M700DQ8-EX has no Ex successor, so fleets of the Latitude 7220EX, Toughpad FZ-G1 ATEX, L10 ATEX or M700DQ8-EX can’t move to a newer model from the same family. For Zone 2, Getac, BARTEC, Durabook and Winmate still sell certified rugged tablets, and our rugged vs intrinsically safe guide compares them.

Current tablets nearing the end of support

Some tablets are still on sale with little support left. The i.safe MOBILE IS930.1 and IS930.2 are covered by security updates until Q1 2027, so fleets have a few months to plan. i.safe’s IS940 tablets are covered until Q4 2032.

iPad options depend on the iPad inside. Apple’s minimum support period for the iPad mini 6 ran to September 2026, which affects the Atexxo and Xciel cases and conversions built on it, and the Xciel XCZ1 iPad mini 5 is sold from old stock on an iPad that Apple’s minimum no longer covers. Apple’s minimum isn’t an end date, but when buying new it makes sense to choose the version built on the newest iPad available.

Running an old fleet until the replacement arrives

A discontinued tablet keeps its certification. Conformity is assessed when each unit is placed on the market, so units already in service stay certified when the maker stops production or a newer edition of a standard comes out. The exception is a certificate cancelled or suspended because of a safety problem, which can come with a recall or withdrawal notice, so it’s worth checking the certificate’s status on the IECEx website before deciding to keep an older model.

Using the equipment is covered by the ATEX workplace directive, 1999/92/EC, in the EU and by DSEAR in Great Britain. Under both, employers can keep using tablets that were certified when supplied, as long as they suit the zone, are kept in safe condition and are covered by the site’s risk assessment and explosion protection document.

Keeping a tablet in safe condition gets harder with age. IEC 60079-17, the standard for inspecting equipment in hazardous areas, has its own provisions for portable equipment, which is normally inspected more often than fixed equipment, and users should check the tablet before each use. Cracked screens and housings, worn seals and port covers, and damaged or swollen batteries are common reasons to take one out of service.

Repairs and spares are often the real limit. Repairs should go to the maker or a repairer it authorizes, following IEC 60079-19, and a tablet repaired any other way can no longer be assumed to match its certificate. Batteries are just as specific. Getac, BARTEC and Eaton certificates name the battery types that may be used, so once approved batteries and repair service run out for a model, its working life is effectively over.

Software sets a separate deadline. The end of security updates doesn’t affect a tablet’s Ex certification, but it makes the tablet harder to justify on the company network, and device management tools can block devices below a minimum patch level from company email and apps.

Use the replacement to rethink the platform

The default when a tablet is discontinued is to buy its successor, and for many teams that’s the right call. The crews know the device, the accessories are similar and IT already manages the platform. But a fleet replacement only comes around every few years, so it’s also the best time to check whether the tablets still fit the work.

Has your zone need changed?

Some teams bought Zone 2 tablets because that’s where most of their people worked, or because the Zone 1 choice was thin when they last bought. If operators and technicians now cross into Zone 1 regularly, a Zone 1 fleet removes the boundary from the working day. Our Zone 1 vs Zone 2 guide covers the trade-offs.

What to look for in a hazardous-area tablet in 2026

The Zone 1 range has changed more than the model names suggest. A few years ago it was mostly purpose-built Android and Windows tablets. Today it also includes current iPads in flameproof cases, with their cameras, app catalog and, on the iPad Pro, LiDAR working through the housing, alongside Android tablets with security updates promised into the 2030s and Windows tablets on both Intel and Arm processors.

Four criteria tend to separate the options. The first is documentation, since inspection photos, video calls and 3D scans now drive a lot of maintenance work and the camera matters more than it did. The second is fleet fit, meaning the platform IT already manages and the apps crews already use. The third is a written support date or a strong update record, so the next replacement is a planned event. The fourth is the safe-use rules, such as where the tablet may be charged and how batteries are swapped. Our iPad, Android or Windows guide compares the platforms on each.

Where dedicated Ex tablets are stronger

Purpose-built tablets still lead on some points that matter for a replacement. They include the only Zone 0 option, the Eaton MTL GECMA IS Tablet PC. They also offer wide ambient ranges, up to +60 °C on the i.safe MOBILE IS930.1, North American Division 1 listings, and in the case of the i.safe MOBILE IS940 and IS945 tablets, charging inside the hazardous area. Teams that rely on those should weigh them first.

Planning the switch

A replacement goes more smoothly with a short pilot on site. It shows whether crews can use the new tablet with their gloves and PPE, whether the screen works in the light on site and whether the apps behave as expected. Order the certified accessories at the same time, since chargers, docks and holsters rarely carry over between models, and ask the maker for the certificate, conditions of use and written support date for the exact version you buy. Retire the old tablets as the new ones arrive, so the two fleets don’t mix in the zone.