KIANEWS 
Finnish company HMD Global has launched a new HMD Fuse smartphone aimed specifically at children. According to the company, it is the world's first smartphone that prevents children from filming, broadcasting or viewing nude and sexually explicit content, even while streaming.
Nokia 215 Chat Gets First Camera, Video Calls, and AI - Now Available in Malaysia and Thailand
24. 06. 2026 Wednesday / By: Robert Denes / Reviews / Exact time: BST / Print this page
F innish company HMD has quietly unveiled the new Nokia 215 Chat feature phone, which is an interesting extension of the company's cloud phone investments in recent years. This is not exactly your average basic phone, as it has introduced the Xpress Chat messaging app, cloud-based apps, and an AI assistant, among other things.
The Nokia 215 Chat is also available at least on the online store Shopee in Malaysia via the Nokia Mobile Flagship Store. According to the listing, this is a new model for 2026, priced between 220-562 Malaysian ringgit (about 46-119 euros). There is currently no information on availability in Finland or Europe.
HMD already announced at MWC 2026 that it would expand the role of the feature phone with new services such as video calls, an AI assistant, and a digital wallet. According to the company, Xpress Chat allows video calls using the front camera, supports voice messages, photo sharing, and group chats. The service is said to work with smartphones as well, as long as the Xpress Chat app is installed on both devices.
The Nokia 215 Chat continues the well-known idea of keypad phones, but also brings some smartphone-like features. The phone has a 2.8-inch QVGA display, a large T9 keyboard, dual SIM 4G support, Bluetooth 5.0, FM radio, MP3 player, 3.5mm headphone jack, and USB-C charging port. The battery capacity is said to be 1450 mAh.
However, the most unique part of the phone is its front camera, which can be used to make video calls via the Xpress Chat service. A front camera is still a very rare feature in feature phones, so HMD seems to be looking for a place between a traditional keypad phone and the Nokia 215 Chat smartphone.
The phone also has a Cloud Phone Service system, through which users can access lightweight, cloud-based applications. Depending on the materials, supported applications can include YouTube, YouTube Music, Google Maps, weather services, games and social media services.
The AI assistant is another interesting addition to the Nokia 215 Chat. Based on the footage, the assistant can be used to control the phone, set alarms, turn on the flashlight, call loved ones or ask simple questions. According to HMD, the AI assistant aims to make basic phone use easier, especially through voice commands.
In terms of its construction, the Nokia 215 Chat is advertised as a rugged phone. The ad mentions IP64 dust and splash protection, but some marketing images talk about IP54 protection. So the final protection rating is still to be confirmed. Based on the images, the phone has a solid construction, physical buttons and at least a black and red color option.
For now, the Nokia 215 Chat is aimed primarily at Asian and emerging markets. However, launching the phone in Finland would be an interesting addition to HMD's offering, as there is still demand for simple backup phones, first phones for children, and devices suitable for seniors.