First Smartphone with Preloaded Indus AI Assistant Debuts
HMD Global has launched its latest smartphone, the HMD Vibe 2 5G, in the Indian market. The device is the first smartphone to come preloaded with the ‘Indus by Sarvam AI’ assistant, a localized artificial intelligence model developed specifically for the Indian linguistic landscape. The smartphone is priced competitively and went on sale on May 26, 2026, exclusively through Flipkart and HMD’s online portal.
The preloaded Indus AI assistant supports 22 regional Indian languages and is designed to handle regional accents, cultural context, and code-mixed inputs (such as Hinglish). Unlike standard Western voice assistants, Indus by Sarvam AI operates with local context optimization, enabling users to perform complex voice-guided tasks such as booking rides, checking local government schemes via the preloaded Sanchar Saathi app, and translating local dialects in real time.
Hardware Specifications and Launch Strategy
The HMD Vibe 2 5G features a 6.75-inch 120Hz display, a 6,000mAh battery with fast charging, a 50-megapixel AI-assisted primary camera, and runs on Android 16. HMD’s strategy of preloading localized AI software is intended to differentiate the brand in a highly saturated budget-to-midrange smartphone segment. The company plans to expand similar localized AI partnerships across its future device portfolio in South Asia.
