The Nokia XR20 smartphone. Image: HMD Global
Looking for a phone that can survive a drop from nearly two metres? Or how about one you can use to play Snake?
The maker of Nokia phones is rolling out what it describes as a “life-proof” smartphone.
Finnish mobile company HMD Global said the new Nokia XR20, which will be available to purchase in Ireland in August, is built to survive extreme temperatures, drops from up to 1.8 metres and one hour underwater.
The phone’s screen is made of extra-durable Gorilla glass. The device also comes with an extended three-year warranty as well as a one-year free screen replacement should the unexpected happen.
Technical features of the Nokia XR20 include a 48-megapixel and 13-megapixel dual camera. It also supports 5G speeds and 15W wireless charging.
To test the phone’s durability, HMD even got former Brazilian footballer Roberto Carlos and female world champion freestyle footballer Lisa Zimouche to dunk it in icy water, kick it, flip it and spin it screen-first across a concrete gravel football pitch.
Florian Seiche, CEO of HMD Global, said the company is tapping into customer demand for more durable and longer-lasting tech devices.
“We did a global trend report and found that 73pc of consumers want to keep their phone for longer and would if their devices were maintained over time,” he added. “At HMD, we are empowering people to avoid early device replacement and encouraging a more sustainable consumption through our longevity promises.”
HMD is also tapping into the market of customers who may be feeling nostalgic for the durable Nokia ‘brick’ phones that were a staple throughout the noughties.
The new Nokia 6310 builds on the original phone design with a large rounded screen and larger push buttons. It will only have basic voice and text functions, but will have a battery that can go for weeks between charges and – of course – the classic game Snake.
