HMD Asha 305 appears in certification as Nokia Asha line may return

HMD appears to be preparing a new device inspired by the Nokia Asha 305, one of the better-known touchscreen budget phones from Nokia’s pre-smartphone transition era. Fresh certification records have surfaced for a handset identified as the HMD TA-1779, with documentation linking the model to the name “HMD Asha 305,” strongly suggesting that the company is reviving the old Asha branding in a modernized form.

At this stage, the certification does not provide a full specifications sheet, so many details remain unclear. Even so, the available information indicates that this is unlikely to be a simple reissue of the original 2012 device. Reports tied to the listing suggest the new model includes LTE support, which immediately separates it from the older Nokia Asha 305 and points to at least a partially new hardware platform.

That matters because the original Nokia Asha 305 belonged to a very specific chapter in the mobile industry. Released in 2012, it was designed as an affordable full-touch phone aimed at users who wanted something positioned between a basic feature phone and a more capable smartphone. It offered a 3-inch display, dual-SIM support, 2G connectivity, and a low-cost entry point for emerging markets.

If HMD is indeed bringing back the Asha 305 name, the move would fit a broader pattern of selectively reviving classic Nokia-era product identities while adapting them for today’s market. The challenge, however, will be making that nostalgia commercially relevant. A modern Asha device would need to balance simplicity, low cost, and long battery life with enough connectivity and software flexibility to avoid feeling obsolete from day one.

What remains unknown is where HMD plans to position the device. It could emerge as a compact entry-level phone for users who want basic communications without the complexity or cost of a full smartphone, or as a lightweight touchscreen alternative aimed at markets where affordable hardware still matters more than premium features. Either way, the certification suggests HMD has not entirely given up on the idea of building phones that sit somewhere between classic mobile design and modern expectations.

There is no confirmed launch date yet, and HMD has not publicly detailed the product. Still, the certification trail is enough to show that the Asha name may be returning in some form, this time under HMD rather than Nokia itself. For anyone who remembers the original Asha era, that alone makes this an interesting development worth watching.