HTC has a phone for everyone: the tech addict (Sensation), the girls (Rhyme), the music fan (Sensation XE or any Beats phone) and finally those looking for a lower end model (Wildfire and Wildfire S). What they lack is a rugged phone for sports enthusiasts, a niche filled by the HTC Rubber, a concept created by Richard Malachowski.

Originating from Barcelona, Spain, the designer envisioned a rubbery HTC concept phone, that switches the unibody aluminum case for one covered with a more flexible and resilient surface. I guess that this model would survive a drop, unlike the HTC HD2, that has been famous for cracking up once it hit the floor.

In spite of the rubbery design, the form factor at the back is kept the same, especially in the camera area. I’d see the HTC Rubber as a phone for skaters, snowboarders, climbers or simply people who work in extreme conditions and are prone to drop or smash their smartphones. Hopefully, the display has some solid Gorilla Glass layer on top…