HMD Aura² – A Budget Phone with a Big Battery
HMD has launched the HMD Aura², a budget-friendly Android 14 Go Edition smartphone that brings a few notable upgrades over its predecessor, the Aura.
The phone features a 6.52-inch HD display (576 × 1280) with a 60Hz refresh rate and 460 nits peak brightness. It runs on the Unisoc 9863A chipset, paired with 4GB of RAM (plus virtual RAM) and 256GB of internal storage, expandable via microSD.
One of its biggest improvements is the 5000mAh battery, which promises up to 51 hours of battery life and supports 10W charging via USB-C. The side-mounted fingerprint sensor adds extra security, alongside Face Unlock.
For photography, the Aura² has a 13MP rear camera with auto-focus and a 5MP front camera, featuring Night mode, Pro mode, Slow motion, and Panorama. The design includes a square-shaped camera module and an IP52/IP54 rating for splash resistance.
Other key features include Bluetooth 5.2, FM radio, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a single loudspeaker. The box includes a charger, USB-C cable, jelly case, and screen protector.
HMD promises two years of quarterly security updates, making this a reliable option for those needing a simple but long-lasting device.
The device looks decent and could be a successor to some older Go Edition Nokia devices, although its price is still unknown. However, the logic behind this model is unclear, as HMD Key and HMD Arc already exist with nearly identical designs and only minor differences in specs, such as the processor and battery capacity. Also, the original Aura was announced not long ago.
All in all, it might make sense for HMD to focus just on a single device, the Aura² in this case, and price it competitively in different markets.
