HMD Terra M: Ultra‑Rugged ‘Mission Phone’ Debuts with Eviden Partnership and 10‑Day Battery Life

HMD’s new Terra M isn’t trying to be the next big consumer smartphone. Instead, it’s aiming for something far tougher: becoming the radio‑and‑phone hybrid that keeps frontline workers, security forces and field technicians connected when conditions are at their worst.

Announced this week under the HMD Secure division, the Terra M is a compact “smart feature phone” with military‑grade protection, a glove‑friendly touchscreen, enterprise‑grade software and up to 10 days of standby time. ^[1]

At the same time, Atos’ product brand Eviden has revealed a strategic partnership with HMD Secure to preload its Lifelink MCx Connect mission‑critical communication platform on the Terra M, turning the device into a full‑blown next‑generation push‑to‑talk terminal for LTE and 5G networks. ^[2]

A new kind of “mission phone”

HMD positions the Terra M as an ultra‑rugged smart feature phone for organisations that care more about reliability than Instagram. Think public‑safety agencies, utilities, transport operators, defence forces, private security and industrial crews who work in places that are dusty, wet, noisy and sometimes dangerous. ^[3]

Instead of a big glass slab, you get a compact body with physical keys and a 2.8‑inch touchscreen that still works with gloves on, plus a loud front‑facing speaker and two programmable hardware keys: one for push‑to‑talk, one for emergencies. ^[4]

Under the hood, HMD swaps Android for a custom “Smart OS” tuned for security, device management and long battery life, powered by Qualcomm’s Dragonwing QCM2290 chipset — a platform built for embedded and industrial use rather than consumer flagships. ^[5]

Built for extreme environments, not coffee shops

On paper, the Terra M reads more like a professional radio terminal than a phone you’d pick up at a carrier store:

Ruggedness: Designed to meet MIL‑STD‑810H for shocks and temperature, with IP68 and IP69K ratings for dust, immersion and high‑pressure water jets. HMD says it survives accidental drops from up to 1.8 metres. ^[6]
Display & controls: 2.8‑inch glove‑friendly touchscreen, PTT and emergency keys, plus a “high‑output” loudspeaker aimed at construction sites, factories and roadside operations. ^[7]
Connectivity: 4G with VoLTE, VoWi‑Fi, Wi‑Fi hotspot mode, NFC, dual SIM and eSIM, making it easier to roam between private and public networks or swap operators on the fly. ^[8]
Battery: A 2,510 mAh pack paired with aggressive power management, rated for up to 10 days of standby — a huge deal for devices that may sit in lockers or vehicles until something goes wrong. ^[9]
Longevity: HMD promises five years of quarterly security updates from the global launch date, a lifecycle most consumer phones still struggle to match. ^[10]

Notebookcheck points out that the Terra M’s pogo‑pin contacts on the back tie into an optional dock system: multiple charging cradles can be physically daisy‑chained, allowing up to ten phones to be powered from a single cable — a simple but clever touch for control rooms and depot charging walls. ^[11]

If the spec sheet sounds strangely radio‑centric, that’s deliberate. HMD is pitching Terra M as a “mission phone” that can bridge traditional two‑way radio workflows with IP‑based communication and modern apps.

Smart feature phone, serious enterprise tools

Although Terra M isn’t a full Android smartphone, HMD is loading it with pre‑configured enterprise apps tailored to each deployment. Among the examples highlighted by HMD and early reports: ^[12]

Zello – Push‑to‑talk over cellular, turning Terra M into a secure, long‑range walkie‑talkie.
Threema – End‑to‑end encrypted messaging popular in government and enterprise.
OsmAnd – Offline mapping and navigation, handy in remote areas or after network failures.
Lyfo – Network optimisation for keeping mission‑critical apps connected across multiple channels.
Mobile Tornado & SOTI MobiControl – For advanced push‑to‑talk and Mobile Device Management (MDM).

Out of the box, IT teams can enrol Terra M fleets into MDM platforms, push configurations, enforce security policies and monitor devices over time. That’s a big advantage over traditional feature phones, which often require manual provisioning. ^[13]

In other words: it looks like a “dumb” phone, but the backend is very much enterprise‑grade.

Eviden’s Lifelink MCx Connect turns Terra M into a mission‑critical terminal

The headline development today isn’t just the hardware — it’s the strategic partnership between HMD Secure and Eviden, the Atos Group product brand specialising in mission‑critical systems and cybersecurity. ^[14]

Under the deal, Eviden’s Lifelink MCx Connect app will come preloaded on Terra M, with customers able to activate services directly through Eviden. ^[15]

Lifelink MCx Connect is a 3GPP‑compliant mission‑critical communications platform designed to help organisations move from legacy narrowband push‑to‑talk systems (like TETRA or P25) to broadband voice and data over LTE and 5G networks. It supports features such as group calling, emergency calls and secure interoperable communication across public, private or hybrid networks. ^[16]

Trials promoted by the EU‑funded TrialsNet project have already shown Lifelink can interwork between different responder technologies — for example, connecting PBX users with 5G MCx teams in simulated fire scenarios. ^[17]

By embedding Lifelink directly into Terra M, Eviden and HMD aim to offer:

A rugged, cost‑effective handheld for frontline teams
Standards‑based MCx services for group and emergency communication
A path to large‑scale deployments covering homeland security, municipal police, hospitals, transport operators, utilities and private security firms. ^[18]

For agencies still running mixed fleets of radios and smartphones, this kind of integrated MCx device could simplify upgrades and reduce the need for carrying multiple gadgets.

Mission‑ready accessories and fleet charging

Alongside the phone itself, HMD is launching a set of accessories built around typical shift‑based workflows: ^[19]

Stackable Charging Cradle – Individual docks can be linked so one power cable feeds up to ten phones, ideal for lockers and operations rooms.
Rugged belt‑clip holster – For quick access when climbing ladders, working at height or wearing gloves and heavy PPE.

Stuff’s hands‑on take describes Terra M as the sort of tool companies issue at the start of a shift and expect back at the end — not something employees baby in soft cases. ^[20]

Part of HMD Secure’s push into sovereign, mission‑critical mobility

Terra M is the second major product from HMD Secure, the Finnish company’s specialised division focused on rugged and secure solutions for governments, defence, public safety and critical infrastructure. The first was HMD Ivalo XE, a European‑designed and manufactured rugged smartphone that arrived earlier this year. ^[21]

HMD Secure frames both devices as building blocks for “sovereign” mobility — hardware, software and supply chains that can be trusted for sensitive national and industrial use, particularly in Europe where digital sovereignty has become a hot topic. Eviden’s press material explicitly points to HMD as the largest European smartphone manufacturer and emphasises European R&D and traceable supply chains. ^[22]

Put simply, Terra M sits below Ivalo XE as the simpler, tougher and more affordable endpoint for teams who don’t need full smartphone capabilities, but still require secure apps, modern connectivity and long‑term support.

Availability, pricing and what’s still unknown

For now, Terra M is strictly a B2B / government product. HMD says it will be available via HMD Secure and selected partners in Q1 2026, with regional details and full specifications to follow closer to launch. ^[23]

Key points on availability:

Launch window: Q1 2026
Channels: Direct via HMD Secure and specialist partners/integrators
Pricing: Not yet public; organisations are being directed to sales teams for quotes. ^[24]

Several outlets, including Gadgets 360, Notebookcheck, Gizmochina and South Africa’s Stuff, have all flagged the same unanswered questions: HMD hasn’t detailed RAM, storage, camera configuration (if any) or exact regional certifications yet. ^[25]

HMD has indicated that a complete spec sheet is planned for January 2026, which should give integrators and IT teams enough time to test before large‑scale rollouts later in the year. ^[26]

Key specs of HMD Terra M (so far)

Based on official information and today’s reporting, here’s what’s confirmed:

Form factor: Compact rugged “smart feature phone”
Display: 2.8‑inch glove‑friendly touchscreen
Ruggedness: MIL‑STD‑810H design, IP68 & IP69K, tested to 1.8 m drops
Chipset: Qualcomm Dragonwing QCM2290
Battery: 2,510 mAh, up to 10‑day standby
Connectivity: 4G, VoLTE, VoWi‑Fi, Wi‑Fi hotspot, NFC, dual SIM + eSIM
Software: HMD Smart OS with enterprise features, MDM support
Pre‑loaded apps (examples): Zello, Threema, OsmAnd, Lyfo, Mobile Tornado, SOTI MobiControl (deployment‑dependent)
Mission‑critical platform: Eviden Lifelink MCx Connect preloaded for 3GPP‑compliant MCx services
Security updates: 5 years of quarterly patches
Accessories: Stackable charging cradle (up to 10 phones), rugged belt‑clip holster

Why Terra M matters

As legacy radio networks age and broadband coverage expands, many organisations are hunting for devices that blend radio‑style reliability with modern connectivity and apps, without the fragility or distraction of a full smartphone.

HMD Terra M, especially when combined with Eviden’s Lifelink MCx Connect, is squarely aimed at that gap. It’s not glamorous. It won’t top consumer benchmarks. But if your job involves hard hats, high‑vis jackets and emergency call‑outs, this little “mission phone” might soon be the device clipped to your belt.

DIY Battery Replacement Possible on HMD Fusion- Repairability FTW!

Watch this video on YouTube.

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