Nokia might be gone, but its legacy lives on in HMD‘s newest release. The company’s new Terra M channels the spirits of its Nokia 3310 forefathers by being a rugged feature phone. HMD calls it a “smart feature phone,” mostly for marketing reasons, but it’s certainly less doff than a dumbphone. Only, instead of everyone’s pockets, this one is destined for enterprise users. Probably those involved in construction or similarly physical endeavours.
HMD announced its newest feature phone, backed by a suitably testosterone-flavoured range of backdrops, while pointing out that its “military-grade durability with instant communication tools” make it ideal for folks who drive a bakkie because they actually need the thing every day. The Terra M’s other features bear this out.
Terra M-ight survive the job
In addition to mil-spec (MIL-STD-810H, to be precise) extensive waterproof ratings (IP68/69K), the Terra M includes a toughened glove-friendly touchscreen, push-to-talk functions (like a walkie-talkie), emergency keys, and “a high-output speaker for clear audio in noisy environments.” It’s the sort of thing you’d expect a military operator to yank out of a pocket if they weren’t being sponsored by Sony or whoever employs Michael Bay these days.
As far as concrete specs go, the touchscreen is a 2.8in effort with one of Qualcomm’s Dragonwing QCM229 processors tucked away behind it. It’s got connectivity, but the app selection is optimised for enterprise users. You’re not supposed to be scrolling TikTok when humping your pack behind enemy lines (or driving a bulldozer), after all. The battery is a mere 2,510mAh, but HMD reckons the Terra M will net ten days of use on standby. It’s not quite the 3310’s weeks-long lifespan, but it’s as good as you’ll find in a modern phone with such a compact stash of lithium.
If you need it any more retro, the company also has a stash of Terra M accessories for your procurement department to send an invoice for. Charging cradles that hold two devices at a time and belt clips are options for companies that hand these out at the beginning of a shift and expect them back once the knock-off whistle blows.
4G connectivity and eSIM support run on HMD’s custom operating system, and the company says that system will see updates for five years after launch. The only tricky bit is pricing and availability, which isn’t yet common knowledge. The Terra M handset is only slated for launch in the first quarter of 2026. Beyond that, there’s nothing more to know.
