Ten dollars. That’s it. That’s the price of HMD’s newest phone, and honestly, it’s hard not to respect the audacity of shipping a device in 2026 for less than the cost of a fast food meal. The HMD 106 Pure appeared on a Pakistani online retailer before HMD officially said anything about it, listed at PKR 3,250, which converts to just over $10 USD. As of now, it’s not on HMD’s official website. So we’re working from retailer specs here, but there’s enough to get a clear picture.
The 106 Pure has a 1.8-inch display with a 120 x 160 QQVGA resolution. It runs HMD’s S30+ software platform, the same one the company uses across most of its button phones. Inside, you get a Unisoc 6531E chipset, which is the exact same chip found in the HMD 102. And yes, there’s a rear camera, but with a 320 x 240 resolution, it’s barely a camera in any meaningful sense. Call it a camera-shaped object. It will take photos, technically.
Design-wise, the 106 Pure looks very close to the HMD 101. The retailer lists Dark Gray and Teal Green as color options, though product images also show a blue version in the mix. It’s a compact keypad phone, no frills, no surprises. And of course, the battery is removable, which is quietly becoming a selling point again in a world where repairability actually matters to people.
This is a 2G phone, which means it’s not aimed at anyone who wants to stream video or scroll social media. That’s the whole point. HMD has been quietly consistent about producing this category of device, and there’s a real market for it. Think first phones for kids, backup devices, or buyers in markets where data costs are still a serious concern. HMD released the HMD 105 and HMD 110 in India back in 2024, both with a built-in UPI payments app, and later followed those up with 4G versions. The company clearly sees value in this space and keeps showing up for it.
Here’s a quick look at what the 106 Pure brings to the table based on the retailer listing:
- 1.8-inch QQVGA display (120 x 160 pixels)
- Unisoc 6531E chipset
- Rear camera with 320 x 240 resolution
- S30+ operating system
- Removable battery
- Color options: Dark Gray, Teal Green, and possibly Blue
- Price: PKR 3,250 (roughly $10 USD)
So why does a $10 phone matter? Because it’s a reminder that not every device needs to chase specs or status. The global feature phone market is still enormous, particularly across South Asia and Africa, where HMD has smart distribution. A phone this cheap, with a removable battery and a clean software experience, fills a genuine gap. It’s not trying to compete with the Galaxy S series. It doesn’t need to.
HMD hasn’t made an official announcement yet, so pricing, availability, and final specs could shift. But if this lands at $10 or close to it, it’s going to move units. Sometimes the most interesting phone story isn’t about the fanciest device. Sometimes it’s about who gets left out if you only talk about flagship hardware. The 106 Pure exists for everyone else.