Live data from Hacker News

HMD Touch 4G

hmd.com

51–60 of 120 posts

Re: HMD Touch 4G

#51

What is special about this? Does it cost $20? Is it a cheap smart phone (why do they call it a hybrid phone?) targetting India (mentioning of cricket)?

₹4,199 it seems, which is about $45.

This is perfect. I've been looking for a burner phone for when I'm in Guayaquil. Something I wouldn't mind losing in a robbery.

Re: HMD Touch 4G

#52
post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

To be fair there's nothing else left under this sun.

It's a chicken and egg problem tho, whatsapp doesn't support smaller platforms, and smaller platforms can't grow without app support. I remember that the uptake of Windows Phone 7 and early versions of 8 was pretty low partly because whatsapp didn't support that OS.

WhatsApp has reduced the number of platforms that they support, they had a KaiOS app but disabled it last year.

Re: HMD Touch 4G

#54
post #47

What is special about this? Does it cost $20? Is it a cheap smart phone (why do they call it a hybrid phone?) targetting India (mentioning of cricket)?

It says "Small phone". And it is indeed smaller than most smartphones. Apple never made a small smartphone, presumably because they need the big screen for their vending-machine-in-your-pocket to sell more content.

Apple struggles to sell budget models of their phones, everyone wants at least the standard version. Why would they try to sell an even tinier phone than the SE? No one will buy it. The Apple Watch is a tiny device with its own SIM but that's not a phone, it's a smartwatch so its really an accessory to your phone.

Re: HMD Touch 4G

#56

What is special about this? Does it cost $20? Is it a cheap smart phone (why do they call it a hybrid phone?) targetting India (mentioning of cricket)?

The little print at the end says "Currently only available in India." Reminds me a bit of HMD's KaiOS feature phones but this is apparently Android?

No, it uses RTOS Touch. Looks like HMD/Nokia gave up on KaiOS a few years ago.

Re: HMD Touch 4G

#58
post #47

What is special about this? Does it cost $20? Is it a cheap smart phone (why do they call it a hybrid phone?) targetting India (mentioning of cricket)?

It says "Small phone". And it is indeed smaller than most smartphones. Apple never made a small smartphone, presumably because they need the big screen for their vending-machine-in-your-pocket to sell more content.

I mean, depending on what you mean by "small smartphone", the early models definitely count (3.5"-4" diagonal). They were huge screens for their time, but nowadays everything's a phablet so they look tiny by comparison.

Re: HMD Touch 4G

#59

4G? WTF..

Do you live in a 5G-only region? If not, what's the problem?

There isn't many (if any) countries with only 5G, although most countries have shutdown both 2G and 3G networks, with the 4G shutdown likely within the next decade.

Not supporting 5G limits this devices longevity, although at the price point and Indian market focus, I think its acceptable.

Re: HMD Touch 4G

#60
post #52
post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's a chicken and egg problem tho, whatsapp doesn't support smaller platforms, and smaller platforms can't grow without app support. I remember that the uptake of Windows Phone 7 and early versions of 8 was pretty low partly because whatsapp didn't support that OS.

WhatsApp has reduced the number of platforms that they support, they had a KaiOS app but disabled it last year.

I know, but my comment was more along the lines of Windows Phone 7 coming out in 2010 and whatsapp being available a year later, and of whatsapp not having a native app for Sailfish
Post reply on HN