Ai+ Pulse 2 Debuts in Nepal: Good Specs, But What’s With the Controversy?

Not many new brands manage to make an impact with their first launch, but Ai+ has pulled it off. The Pulse and Nova came in at such aggressive prices that both quickly became top contenders in their respective segments. Fast forward to 2026, and the brand has launched several new phones, including the Ai+ Pulse 2, which has finally made its way to Nepal.

However, alongside the new launches, Ai+ has also found itself wrapped in one of India’s biggest smartphone controversies, one that is likely to hurt its sales by a significant margin. But more on that later. Controversy aside, does the Pulse 2 hold up on its own? Let’s find out.

What is the Price of AI+ Pulse 2 in Nepal?

The Ai+ Pulse 2 price in Nepal is Rs. 16,999 for the sole 4/64GB variant. There is also a 6/128GB variant available in India, but sadly, it did not make it to the Nepali market.

The phone went live all the way back on March 2 in India at just INR 10,499. As for Nepal, the phone only launched on June 16 and is available for purchase via authorized stores across the country.

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When Ai+ first entered the market, nobody really knew what to expect. But the Pulse and Nova quickly changed that; both became genuinely good value phones that punched above their weight. For a brand on its very first launch, that was quite a statement.

But that changed quickly when YouTubers like TechWiser and GyanTherapy started digging into the brand. What they found was alarming: the phones that were being marketed as “built in India” were largely rebranded Chinese hardware with a bit of re-engineering.

And the “Made in India to protect your data” claim? That fell apart, too, directly contradicting everything Ai+ had been telling its customers about data sovereignty and privacy. Then there was the bloatware issue. Ai+ had specifically promoted its phones as bloatware-free. But there are hidden game hubs loaded with pre-installed games and ads.

So with all of that hanging over the brand, the Ai+ Pulse 2 arrives in Nepal carrying a lot of baggage. But a controversial brand does not always mean a bad phone. Let’s see if the hardware can speak for itself.

AI+ Pulse 2 Overview

In most cases, when a new iteration launches, brands usually stick to a similar design pattern. Well, that is not the case with the Ai+ Pulse 2.

The regular Pulse had a square camera module with a slight angle at the bottom right. And just like its predecessor took design inspiration from other brands, the Pulse 2 likely continues that tradition, borrowing its look from somewhere else once again.

That said, the phone now looks a lot similar to the Nova, with a subtle vertical dividing line running down roughly one-third of the back panel, splitting the glossy and matte finishes. It gives the back a two-tone look without actually using two different colors.

Being a budget phone, the build is entirely plastic, though it does come with an IP64 rating, an upgrade from the previous IP54. Sadly, the Pulse 2 drops the Sparkle Red color this time around and is limited to Purple, Green, Blue, and Black.

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The display remains identical to last year’s, with HD+ resolution on a 6.74-inch screen. Ai+ has not officially confirmed the panel type or refresh rate. However, early reviews suggest that the phone uses an IPS LCD panel with a 120Hz refresh rate. This screen also offers an oleophobic coating and 2D glass on top.

On the camera front, the selfie camera is upgraded to 8MP from the 5MP sensor on the previous Pulse. The rear camera remains unchanged with a 50MP sensor.

To handle all the heavy lifting, the Pulse 2 runs the Unisoc T7250 chipset. At first glance, this might look like an upgrade over the Pulse’s T615, but in reality, they are the same SoC. The T7250 is simply a rebranded version of the T615.

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With that SoC, you get 4GB RAM with 64GB internal storage. The phone also has a dedicated microSD card slot with expansion of up to 1TB.

So far, most of the hardware remains unchanged, except for the battery. The Pulse 2 gets a massive upgrade here with a 6,000mAh unit with 18W charging support via a USB-C port. Bigger batteries have been common for a while, but for the entry-level segment, it is still a big deal, and it looks like Ai+ is starting to understand that.

Lastly, the phone runs on Android 16 with nxtQ OS on top. Given the controversy surrounding Ai+ and their previous claims of a bloatware-free experience, do not be surprised if you find some pre-installed apps and ads baked in.

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Given that the Pulse launched only six months ago, you would not normally expect big changes in a new iteration. Yet the Ai+ Pulse 2 manages to deliver meaningful upgrades in design, battery, and display, and on paper, it is a decent entry-level phone.

But here is the thing. The specs are genuinely modest, and in any other situation, this would be an easy recommendation. However, the controversies surrounding Ai+ make it really hard to pull the trigger on this one.

A brand that marketed privacy as its biggest selling point, only for reviewers to find Chinese-linked apps, rebranded hardware, and hidden bloatware, is a brand that has broken its own promise. And that is not something you can just overlook when handing over your personal data to a device.

I suspect I am not alone in feeling this way. For a lot of buyers in Nepal, especially those who followed this controversy, the Pulse 2 may simply be a phone they choose to skip, not because of what it offers, but because of what the brand behind it has done. Until Ai+ earns back that trust, no amount of good specs is going to fully fix that.

What are your thoughts on the AI+ Pulse 2? Let us know in the comments below!