Bell has introduced the ahlo 2, the second generation of its exclusive house-brand smartphone line. The budget phone costs $335 CAD outright or from $10 CAD per month on SmartPay financing. It’s available only from Bell, Virgin Plus and participating retailers.
Compared with the first model, the ahlo 2 has a larger 6.9-inch display, an upgraded 50 MP camera system and a 5,200 mAh battery that Bell says lasts up to a day and a half of typical use. An e-reader mode stretches standby to up to seven days, and fast charging takes it from zero to 50 percent in about 38 minutes. It ships with Android 16.
“Representing a significant leap forward in design, display technology and overall performance, ahlo 2 delivers features typically associated with higher-priced smartphones at a price point that’s accessible to more Canadians,” said Steve Karan, Vice President, Wireless Product & Logistics, Bell, in a statement to iPhone in Canada.
We briefly handled the ahlo 2, and it feels like a straightforward Android smartphone with a matte NXTPAPER display, which is from TCL. It’s a large phone, even slightly bigger than an iPhone 17 Pro Max, with a flat candy-bar design. Nothing about it really wows, but that’s not necessarily the point. It’s basic, it works, and it could be a solid starter Android phone for someone on a budget. The device looks to be TCL’s NXTPAPER 70 Pro as the specs line up and the design is the same.
Bell is also selling a custom-designed protective case and 30W fast charger bundle for $39.99 CAD.
The original ahlo launched in April 2025 at $270 outright, or as low as $1 per month on select plans on contract. It had a 6.58-inch display, a 50 MP triple-lens camera, a 5,000 mAh battery, a Snapdragon SM4450 chip and 4 GB of RAM. The ahlo 2 increases the screen and battery size and raises the outright price by $65 CAD, keeping it a budget phone next to the carrier plan pricing in our October plan roundup.
At $335 CAD outright, it’s well below flagship pricing, on a network that just topped PCMag‘s 2026 Canadian network test. The tradeoff is exclusivity, since the ahlo 2 is only available from Bell, Virgin Plus and participating retailers, so you can’t shop the same device across competing carriers.
The ahlo 2 looks to be targeting someone who isn’t exactly tech-savvy or concerned about having the latest smartphone. If a middle schooler showed up with an ahlo 2, it would definitely be a social death wish. “Hey, is that an iPhone?” “No, it’s the new ahlo 2, playa.” But the phone has its purpose and a price to match. This is the kind of device I could see a grandma or aunt using to finally browse Facebook on the go.
Bell also quoted $10 CAD per month on SmartPay and its website shows that requires an $85/month plan. If that’s the case, you’re better off getting a cheaper bring your own device plan from a flanker brand, then paying for a better phone outright or through third-party financing.
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Ah ya, the iPhone 18 Pro Max has a 6.9 inch display.