Finnish mobile company, HMD Global, has announced the new Nokia XR20, a 5G phone and certainly the companies most durable to date. It features a 6.67" Corning Gorilla Glass Victus display with a 20:9 aspect ratio, meaning it should resist damage from scratches and drops from around 6 feet. Users will also be able to submerge the 5G phone for up to an hour.
“A life-proof phone with our trademark sleek, Nordic design that we built for both consumers and enterprises.”
Florian Seiche, HMD Global.
"We are tapping into consumer pain points around durability and longevity. We did a global trend report and found that 73% of consumers want to keep their phone for longer and would if their devices were maintained over time. At HMD, we are empowering people to avoid early device replacement and encouraging a more sustainable consumption through our longevity promises. We are delighted to announce the Nokia XR20 – a life-proof phone with our trademark sleek, Nordic design that we built for both consumers and enterprises,” said Florian Seiche, CEO, HMD Global.
Life-proof 5G phone
Nokia says that the new XR20 is built for conditions far harsher than the rough and tumble of everyday life. Indeed, it can withstand extreme temperatures, 1.8m drops, and an hour under water and features Corning Gorilla Glass Victus - one of the strongest screens out there. Impressively, it still looks good with a classic, sleek design which places it well in the 5G phones market, with a mid price range tag.
Brazilian football legend Roberto Carlos and female world champion freestyler Lisa Zimouche were called in to test the new 5G phone’s durability with tests including dunking it in icy water to being kicked, flipped, and spun screen-first across a concrete gravel football pitch. Carlos even recreated his famous banana shot from the 1997 Brazil vs France match to test the device’s durability – three Nokia XR20s were positioned on a goal post for the football sensation to hit in a free kick shootout.
ZEISS dual camera
The Nokia XR20 features a 48MP+13MP dual camera with ZEISS Optics, as well as OZO spatial audio and innovative imaging solutions. The new SpeedWarp mode lets users capture a whole lot of adventure in a compact montage – sure to be popular for social media sharing.
Superior durabilty, 5G speed and a reliable camera setup make the Nokia XR20 a decent mid range offering. It also features 15W wireless charging and comes with four years of monthly security updates, and three years OS upgrades.
In the UK, the XR20 will be available in either Ultra Blue and Granite and two configurations – 4GB RAM/64GB storage and 6GB RAM/128GB storage. The 4GB model will cost £399 (about US$549, AU$749) and the 6GB model will cost £449 (AU$839 and 499 Euros). The XR20 will go on sale from August 24th for $550 in the US. The phone comes with a three-year warranty in Europe, Australia and New Zealand.
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