HMD's $70 Lumia-inspired phone is heading global — but not to the West

By: Anton Kratiuk | today, 13:14

HMD is preparing to launch its compact HMD Touch AI outside China, targeting Southeast Asian markets including Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Thailand. The phone debuted in China at CNY 469 — roughly $70 — and brings a design clearly inspired by the Nokia Lumia era. HMD has confirmed no plans to bring it to the US, UK, or any European market.

The phone

The Touch AI is a small, deliberate device: a 3.2-inch touchscreen, a 1,950mAh battery with USB-C charging, dual-SIM 4G, and Wi-Fi. It runs a closed operating system rather than Android, which puts it firmly in the "digital detox," secondary-device, or senior-friendly category. The polycarbonate unibody shell — available in Cyan, Dark Blue, and possibly White and Gold — is a direct visual callback to Nokia's Fabula design language from the Lumia 800 and 920 era.

The international version adds a few practical touches over the China model. Buyers get free access to Taobao AI (China ships with ByteDance's Doubao AI, which moves to a paid subscription after a 180-day trial), plus Alipay support and a built-in QR scanner. The box includes an 8GB microSD card, a protective case, and a screen protector.

No Western launch

HMD has explicitly ruled out US, UK, and European availability for now, per Gizmochina. The global rollout details come from leaker @smashx_60, who previously flagged the HMD Touch 4G India launch in October 2025. No official international pricing has been announced.

For anyone who used a Lumia 920 and still misses the chunky cyan slab, this phone will look familiar. But at $70 with a closed OS, it competes less with budget Androids like the Moto G Play (which starts above $150) and more with feature phones targeting minimal smartphone use. Whether HMD eventually brings it west depends on how the Southeast Asia rollout performs — for now, it's a nostalgia piece the West can only watch from afar.