HMD Global has launched the HMD Touch 4G in India, a new device that attempts to bridge the gap between simple feature phones and full-featured smartphones. Priced aggressively at just ₹4,999 (about R970), the Touch 4G offers a touchscreen and video calling capabilities in a compact, affordable package.
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The device’s most notable characteristic is its size. It looks like a smartphone that has been “smushed down,” featuring a tiny 3.2-inch screen and weighing only 100g. While its small form factor might appeal to users looking for a minimalist device, its functionality comes with significant limitations.
The Touch 4G charges via USB-C and retains a headphone jack, but it is severely constrained by internal storage: it boasts a mere 128MB of storage, making an external microSD card nearly mandatory.
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Crucially, the HMD Touch 4G does not run on Android. Instead, it uses a custom operating system called RTOS Touch. This means the device cannot access the Google Play Store or any standard Android applications.
For app functionality, users must rely on the Cloud Phone Service, which provides a platform for basic HMD browser apps. For smartphone-like messaging, users are limited to the Express Chat application, which supports group chats and video calls. However, to communicate with friends who own Android or iOS devices, they will have to be convinced to download the separate Express Chat app.
