In context: It is not uncommon for smartphone makers to build devices with a gimmick or two in mind. Foldables can fold, Motorola tried a line of branded accessories called Moto Mods, and who can forget Amazon's 3D-enabled Fire Phone? Fortunately, Nokia's latest smartphone gimmick is far more practical.
The Nokia XR21 is a decidedly mid-range Android offering, packing a 6.49-inch FHD+ 120 Hz display coated in Corning Gorilla Glass Victus. It is driven by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G processor alongside 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of onboard storage.
The handset's standout feature is without a doubt its next-level water resistance. Whereas most high-end phones will carry an IP68 rating, the XR21 also has an IP69K rating. That means Nokia's phone is protected against dust as well as close-range high pressure, high temperature spray downs. It is the sort of rating typically associated with the food processing industry where cleanliness is very important. The XR21 is the only smartphone I can think of that carries this rating, but feel free to point out any others I might have missed in the comments below.
The XR21 is also MIL-STD-810H certified for drop protection up to 1.5 meters.
Other amenities include a dual rear camera array consisting of a 64-megapixel main camera and an 8-megapixel ultrawide shooter, a 16-megapixel front-facing camera, dual microphones, dual speakers with OZO Playback, and a 4800mAh battery rated for up to two days of battery life. The main camera is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass with DX+ for enhanced scratch resistance and anti-reflective optics.
Nokia promises four years of monthly security updates and three years of Android OS upgrades (it ships with Android 12 pre-installed). The handset also comes backed by a three-year warranty.
The Nokia XR21 is available to order from today in your choice of pine green or midnight black priced at £499, or about $626. No word yet on when or if it will be sold in the US or in other regions.