Mainstream smartphones have been around for almost two decades now, yet some people are still hesitant to adopt them. If you know anyone afraid to take that first digital step, HMD may have just the thing to calm their digital anxiety. Meet the HMD Touch 4G, a so-called “hybrid phone” designed to bridge the gap between feature phones and smartphones.
It targets first-time digital adopters, easing them into the world of touchscreens, chat, video calls, and cloud apps without overwhelming them or emptying their wallets.
It is a surprisingly sleek device featuring a 3.2-inch touchscreen with 240 × 320 resolution, a 2 MP rear camera with flash, a 0.3 MP front-facing camera, and a 1,950–2,000 mAh removable battery.
Power comes from a Unisoc T127 chip, paired with 64 MB of RAM and 128 MB of onboard storage, expandable via microSDHC card.
This is not an Android phone. It runs on HMD’s Series 30+ (S30+) Touch OS. In other words, it is not quite a full-fledged smartphone, though it incorporates smartphone-style features such as touch input, video calling, messaging, and cloud apps.
Think of it as a jumping board for feature phone users heading toward the colorful world of smartphones. It is essentially a warm-up device meant to prepare users for the more complex smartphone experience later on.
One clever aspect, IMHO, is the compact size, which is closer to the phones many feature-phone users are already comfortable with. The biggest adjustment would likely be the lack of a physical keypad.
Still, the HMD Touch 4G blends elements of both worlds. Cloud Phone Service provides access to cricket results, news, weather, and more, while the Express Chat app enables video calls, voice messaging, and text chat with support for photos, emojis, and group chats.
Communication is not limited to Touch 4G users either. Android and iOS users can install the Express Chat app from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store to stay connected.
Other features include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth connectivity, hotspot functionality, and a Quick-Call button for emergency contact calling and voice message recording. The phone also supports a wide range of 4G LTE bands, allowing users to continue enjoying HD voice calls and online features while globetrotting.
The HMD Touch 4G Hybrid Phone launched last October and is currently available in India for around ₹4,999 (about US$50), making it a very affordable gateway into the touchscreen world.
Images: HMD.
