How much did you shell out for your last smartphone? If you’re using a flagship or mid-range device from Apple or Samsung, chances are it was a significant amount. Even with a more budget-friendly option, we think the latest offering from HMD may still come in at a lower price point.
The HMD Key has launched in the U.K., Australia, and New Zealand, and while there’s no information on its U.S. release, we’re hopeful it will come stateside. This smartphone retails for just $75. Yes, that’s right: $75.
The HMD Key is designed with budget-conscious consumers in mind, but it does make sacrifices on specifications to hit that low price point. Compared to other devices, it struggles to compete. The phone features a 6.52-inch display with a peak brightness of 460 nits, which is barely adequate for outdoor usage in bright sunlight, and it offers a resolution of 576 x 1280, as reported by TechRadar.
While the specs aren’t particularly impressive—putting it roughly on the same level as some of the weakest phones on the market—it’s important to consider that it’s a $75 smartphone. The Key comes equipped with 32GB of internal memory, 2GB of RAM, and is powered by a Unisoc chipset. One area where it excels, at least according to HMD, is battery longevity, claiming up to 47 hours on a single charge. This figure is likely the maximum standby time; normal use will deplete the battery much more quickly, despite its lower brightness and basic features.
Unfortunately, anyone hoping for an affordable introduction to Android 15 will be disappointed as the HMD Key operates on a stripped-down version of Android 14 Go, which is far from ideal for a modern smartphone experience. Nonetheless, it’s nice to see an affordable phone that allows access to popular social media and entertainment apps, making it a suitable choice for a child’s first smartphone.
Will we eventually see the HMD Key in the U.S.? It’s hard to predict, but we certainly hope so. Even if it’s not the most advanced device out there, having more budget-friendly options can only benefit consumers—especially at such an attractive price.
