In a move that can only be described as “unexpected,” HTC has unveiled the Wildfire E5 Plus, a new Android smartphone. Yes, that HTC. The one you thought was just a fond memory from the early days of smartphones. Apparently, they’re still at it.
The Wildfire E5 Plus, a budget-friendly device, has arrived in Vietnam, proving that HTC is determined to keep its hat in the ring, even if that ring is a dimly lit corner of the smartphone market. This phone, which appears to have been designed by someone with a deep appreciation for the “retro” aesthetic, is an ODM product, meaning it’s less “HTC’s brilliant vision” and more “someone else’s design with an HTC logo.”

For the princely sum of $95, you can own this piece of smartphone history. It boasts a dual camera setup, because even budget phones need to pretend they’re fancy, and a 1.6 GHz Unisoc chipset, which sounds… adequate.
The Wildfire E5 Plus also features a 6.75-inch HD+ display, perfect for watching cat videos in slightly blurry detail, and a 5,000 mAh battery, which will probably last a while, given that you won’t be doing anything too demanding on it.
It runs Android 14, which is a bit like finding a vintage car with a slightly outdated engine. But hey, it runs. And that’s what counts, right?
So, if you’re feeling nostalgic for the days when HTC was a smartphone powerhouse, or if you just need a phone that’s cheap and cheerful, the Wildfire E5 Plus is here. Just don’t expect it to set the world on fire.