Feature phones are not dead, and HMD is making sure they stay relevant. The company has announced four new Nokia models that bring an on-device AI assistant to the kind of simple, durable handsets that millions of people around the world still rely on every day.
The four phones are the Nokia 200 4G, 210 4G, 215 4G 2nd Edition, and 235 4G 2nd Edition. Each one has a dedicated AI button sitting right in the middle of the D-pad, making it easy to reach without digging through menus. That is a smart design choice for users who are not comfortable with touchscreens but are still being asked to do more with their phones.
The AI features run on Sikey AI and let users ask basic questions or control device functions using their voice. It is a practical approach, putting voice assistance on hardware that was never designed for apps. There is a catch, though. The AI assistant is free for the first 180 days, after which users need a paid subscription. Oddly, buying that subscription requires a smartphone, which many feature phone users simply do not have. That friction could limit how many people actually stick with the service long term.
All four phones also support Xpress chat video calling through their built-in VGA cameras, which is a useful addition for staying in touch without needing a data-heavy app.
The specs differ slightly across the lineup:
- Nokia 210 4G and 215 4G 2nd Edition have a 2.4-inch QVGA screen
- Nokia 215 4G 2nd Edition and 235 4G 2nd Edition step up to a 2.8-inch IPS panel, still at QVGA resolution
- Nokia 210 4G and 235 4G 2nd Edition have rear cameras, with the 235 4G getting a 2MP shooter
Everything else is shared across all four devices. They all run the S30+ operating system, carry a 1,450 mAh battery, and come with Bluetooth 5.0, a 3.5mm headphone jack, FM Radio, and USB-C charging. The USB-C port alone is a meaningful upgrade for buyers in markets where older micro-USB cables are becoming harder to find.
This launch fits into a broader pattern. Demand for feature phones remains strong in parts of Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia, where smartphone data costs are high and battery life matters more than apps. HMD has kept the Nokia feature phone line alive for years, and adding AI voice controls is a way to give these devices a fresh angle without making them more complicated to use. Whether the subscription model lands well in those markets is a different question entirely.
HMD has not shared pricing or a release date for any of the four phones yet.