Roberto Carlos recreates his classic free kick in ‘Toughest Test’ against new Nokia XR20

Footballing sensation Roberto Carlos collides with HMD, the home of Nokia phones to reveal a brand-new life-proof handset, the Nokia XR20.

From lab testing conditions to a football pitch, the brand-new 5G smartphone met its match when Brazilian legend, Roberto Carlos, and world freestyle champion, Lisa Zimouche, put it to the test in Madrid, Spain.

The skilled footballing pair put the new Nokia XR20 through a series of tough tests from dunking it in ice water to being kicked, flipped and spun screen first across a concrete gravel football pitch.

At HMD, when creating Nokia phones, we believe technology should last for longer; the brand-new life-proof smartphone has been built to last with military-grade resilience paired with four years of monthly security updates, the latest software upgrades for up to three years, and future-proofed 5G.

Stephen Taylor, CMO, HMD Global said: “The average person breaks their smartphone within just 10 weeks of owning it. The combined expense of protective cases, repairs and warranties can add up to hundreds, leading to early device replacement. We built the Nokia XR20 to be extremely tough to eliminate this cost and to empower people to feel good about keeping their smartphone for longer.”

Roberto Carlos, Brazil World Cup winner and Real Madrid legend, said: “I’ve been asked to recreate my ’97 free kick many times over the last twenty years, but never like this before, so I had to accept the challenge. Surely a mobile phone couldn’t survive the wrath of a football. I didn’t think the Nokia XR20 could have withstood the power of my kick. I may not be professional any more, but I know I still pack a punch, so it was an impressive result.”

Lisa Zimouche, World Champion Freestyle Footballer, said: “I’m used to kicking and flicking footballs, so I thought trying it with a smartphone would be tough, but within seconds of seeing the set up I was so eager for the challenge. I’ve dropped phones before, and it’s never been a happy ending, so it’s impressive what the Nokia XR20 can do.”

The ‘Toughest Test’ opens with a strong left kick to the ball aimed at the Nokia XR20 from Roberto Carlos, then you see it slide screen first across the gravel concrete. But owners of the Nokia XR20 can say goodbye to those heart-stopping moments when your phone falls screen first to the floor.  Made from Gorilla® Glass Victus™, it’s four times more scratch-resistant than its competitors. Plus, the clever design of the Nokia XR20 ensures you can enjoy good visibility in direct sunlight and smooth browsing even with wet hands and gloves.

The ‘Toughest Test’ continues with Zimouche’s quick feet putting the devices through their paces, as she kicks the ball at three handsets, and one-by-one knocks them down.

Tension builds as legend Carlos puts the ball down and steps back as he recreates the famous banana shot that made history in the 1997 Brazil vs France match. In the ultimate crossbar challenge, three phones are positioned to a metal red and white striped goal post with their cameras on and filming through a 48MP ZEISS Optics dual camera.  The ball careers through the air at an eye-watering speed, and in a matter of milliseconds, the Nokia XR20 captures the ball smashing into it and crashing to the ground.

But it wasn’t just the famous free-kick that the device had to contend with, as the scorching sunshine exposed the handset to 33-degree heat in Madrid, and still, it never wavered or overheated.

Nokia XR20 – the 5G phone

Tough phone – Heat, Cold or Drop

Built to endure blistering temperatures, this device will follow you on all your family ventures, from sunny beach scrolling in scorching 55C to the icy ski slopes of –20C. For the adventurous or just those that are clumsy, the new handset can also survive the steepest of drops measuring up to 1.8m and survive one hour underwater.

Also, if it gets dirty, you can give it a good scrub in soap and water.

Stamina and endurance

Future-proof as well as life-proof, the Nokia XR20 boasts the longest ever monthly security updates from Nokia phones – four years – and up to three years of software upgrades.

With an up to two-day battery life, it will also go the distance on a single charge but should you need to power up quickly it supports 15W Qi wireless charging and 18W fast charging.

48 MP Camera

For memories you want to remember forever, the reliable 48MP ZEISS Optics dual camera will provide excellent portraits or broad landscape shots. Plus, the two flashes bring in the light to the darkness.

The all-new SpeedWarp mode lets you capture a whole lot of adventure in a compact, exciting montage. The Nokia XR20 keeps a steady hand on precious family memories – even when you’re at a sandbox or an adventure park, your footage will look stable with Action Cam mode.

And those moments that need to be recorded and brought back to life, the OZO spatial audio with wind-noise cancellation will ensure your videos are a true representation of the moment itself, without any unwanted sounds interrupting.

When you want the audio to reach further afield, the OZO Playback will be there to broaden the sound with the support of extra loudspeakers – they’re mighty enough to hear over a crowd at a BBQ this summer.

The all-new Nokia XR20 is available in the UAE from September in Ultra Blue and Granite Grey and comes in 4/64GB and 6/128GB configurations starting at AED 1,849.

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Ranbir Sen

Tech enthusiast, who writes about the latest update in technology news, and reviews of products and software.

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