HMD has launched a new feature phone in China that leans hard into nostalgia while still packing in a few genuinely modern tricks. The Touch AI pairs a design straight out of the old Nokia Lumia playbook with 4G connectivity, a hotspot function, and an AI assistant tuned for the local market, all at a price that undercuts most entry-level smartphones by a wide margin.
A Design Pulled Straight From the Lumia Era
The Touch AI's most obvious throwback is its circular rear camera housing, a design cue lifted directly from Nokia's Lumia series. It ships in a bright cyan finish, with additional swappable back covers available in yellow, blue, and white for anyone who wants to change up the look without buying a new device.
This isn't a brand-new design for HMD, either. The Touch AI is closely related to the HMD Touch 4G that launched in India last October, with this China-specific version adding AI features built around the local market.
Hardware: Small, Simple, and Purposeful
The phone runs a compact 3.2-inch touchscreen, with 2MP cameras on both the front and back. Power comes from a 1,950mAh battery, charged over USB-C rather than older micro-USB standards still common on budget feature phones.
Despite its small size, the Touch AI supports dual-SIM 4G connectivity, Wi-Fi, and can function as a mobile hotspot, giving it more practical utility than a typical basic feature phone. A customizable physical button sits on top of the device, which can be configured for quick actions, including a one-touch SOS function that alerts emergency contacts immediately.
Doubao AI Is the Real Differentiator
What sets the Touch AI apart from a standard feature phone is its integration of Doubao AI, ByteDance's AI assistant. According to HMD, the assistant handles Chinese-English translation, generates images from text prompts, recognizes and organizes objects captured in photos, and offers study assistance, all running on a device that otherwise looks and feels like a stripped-down basic phone.
The software experience is built around simplicity, running what HMD describes as a clean, distraction-free interface with parental controls built in, positioning the phone as a fit for children or anyone looking for a deliberate step back from smartphone use. Alipay support is also built in, allowing for mobile payments directly from the device.
Pricing and Availability
The HMD Touch AI is currently available for pre-order in China at 469 yuan, roughly $69. HMD has not announced plans to bring this specific AI-equipped version to other markets, including India, where the closely related Touch 4G already launched without these AI features.
