HMD has released new feature phones including the Nokia 210 4G, Nokia 215 4G 2nd Edition, Nokia 235 4G 2nd Edition, and Nokia 200 4G, adding an AI button centered on the device, but it has been criticized as an impractical feature.
HMD, the licensee for Nokia mobile phone production, has launched four new feature phone models: Nokia 210 4G, Nokia 215 4G 2nd Edition, Nokia 235 4G 2nd Edition, and Nokia 200 4G.
Regarding functionality, HMD has retained classic Nokia features such as a standard 3.5mm headphone jack, microSD support, and FM radio, except the Nokia 200 4G model, which does not include FM radio.
Notably, all four feature phones include an AI button operating through the Sikey AI app, supporting basic commands like making calls or turning on the flashlight. This button is located centrally on the device's front. The AI functionality focuses on simple voice commands rather than generative AI models familiar to most, such as setting alarms, opening the camera, adding notifications, simple recipe requests, or short foreign language phrases.
HMD stated that the AI feature is free to use for the first 180 days, but details about costs thereafter have not been disclosed.
While pricing and countries of availability remain unclear, feedback on Reddit and other online communities has been largely negative, viewing the decision as misguided. The criticism centers on the fact that feature phone users generally have no intention of using AI features, indicating that the manufacturer may not understand its target market and that the feature is essentially useless for feature phone users.
Source:TechRadar