HMD Asha 305: a sub-$75 Android phone with no Google apps
HMD is bringing back the Asha brand — a budget phone line popular in the early 2010s — with a new model that runs Android 14 Go, costs under $75, and ships without Google Play or any Google apps. The Asha 305 has officially launched in the Philippines at PHP 3,999 (roughly $70), with Thailand pricing set at around 2,390 baht (about $75). No US or UK release date has been announced.
The phone
The Asha 305 is built around a Unisoc SC9832E processor — a low-end 4G chip — paired with 2–3GB of RAM and 16–32GB of storage depending on the variant, per Notebookcheck. The 5-inch screen runs at 854×480 pixels, which is noticeably low by current standards. Cameras are 5MP on the back and 2MP on the front. Battery is 2,500mAh with 5W charging. It has USB-C and a 3.5mm headphone jack — a small win — but Bluetooth 4.2 is genuinely dated even for this price tier.
The HMD Asha 305 revives a budget phone line from the early 2010s with a modern Android 14 Go base — but no Google apps.
The software story is the unusual part. HMD confirmed the phone runs Android 14 Go (an AOSP build, not a proprietary OS), but with no Google Mobile Services. That means no Gmail, no Google Maps, no Play Store. Instead, users get a curated library of roughly 100 pre-installed apps, according to WalasTech. HMD is pitching this as a feature — a deliberate step back from smartphone overload — rather than a limitation.
The angle
Framing a stripped-down phone as a "digital detox" device is an increasingly familiar pitch. Whether buyers in the US or UK would pay even $75 for a phone without Google Maps is a fair question. At that price, alternatives like the Motorola Moto G35 and Samsung Galaxy A16 offer full Android with Google services and comparable or better hardware.
The Asha 305 makes more sense as a second phone or a device for children and older users who don't need a full app ecosystem. The nostalgia hook — HMD first launched the Asha 305 in 2012 — adds some marketing texture, but the hardware specs are functional rather than exciting.
Western availability remains unconfirmed. HMD has not announced pricing in dollars or pounds, and no US or UK retail partners have been named. If and when it does arrive, the "no Google" angle will likely draw attention — but the competition at this price point is stiff.
