HMD's Feature Phone Gets an Upgrade with AI and Video Calling

At Mobile World Congress in Barcelona on 2-5 March, HMD Global, the Finnish company that holds the Nokia brand license, announced that it wants to elevate feature phones with a suite of AI-powered smart features. The company said its aim is to broaden digital access for feature phone users by adding features such as a digital wallet, an AI assistant, and video calling. The features are planned to roll out throughout 2026, beginning in HMD’s core markets such as India. What exactly will HMD bring to its feature phones?

The digital wallet will support money transfers for users, allowing them to receive, store and cash out funds through local payment systems. To realise this service, HMD is partnering with fintech company Kivi3 and blockchain firm Polygon Labs. The service will be protected by device-embedded security via a PIN.

As AI trends continue to grow, HMD also plans to integrate an AI assistant into feature phones. To this end, HMD is partnering with Sarvam AI of India to develop a dedicated AI assistant that enables users to perform tasks via voice commands, such as making calls, setting alarms and turning on the phone’s flashlight. In addition, HMD will offer AI-powered chat experiences, albeit for simple questions only.

Moreover, HMD is launching an AI companion project for elderly users. Developed with InTouch, the service is designed to provide tailored companionship for older users. Trials will begin in Europe before a global release.

The accompanying app will also support voice messages, group chats and photo sharing between users, according to KompasTekno via GSMArena. HMD has not revealed whether all feature phones will support all of these features or only certain models. Details of which models will support the features have not been disclosed yet.