A brand new phone with physical keyboard and ink screen, it looks great!

Recently, Minimal Company displayed a mobile phone called Minimal Phone on its website. It is worth noting that this is a mobile phone with a full keyboard and an ink screen. The crowdfunding campaign for this mobile phone is scheduled to start in early February.



(Picture source Minimal)


It runs a customized Android system MnmlOS optimized for low-power black and white ink screens, supporting WiFi and Bluetooth It is connected to the cellular network and supports touch screen operation. It is also equipped with a 4000mAh battery, which claims to have a battery life of up to 4 days, and promises to provide software updates for 5 years. The dimensions are expected to be 120 x 72 x 10 mm, and the crowdfunding target is to produce 3,000 units. The retail price is expected to be $400, and it is uncertain whether the product can actually be mass-produced.


The uniqueness of the Minimal Phone is that it not only has the characteristics of an e-book, but also combines the functionality of a smartphone. It is also equipped with a physical keyboard similar to a BlackBerry phone. It seems a bit non-mainstream in the current smartphone market dominated by touch screens. This design also shows that it is not destined to become a popular product, and even digital enthusiasts will not favor it too much. Its market audience can be said to be very specific and niche.



(Photo source Minimal)

Compared with traditional ink screen e-books, its main difference is that it integrates the functionality of a smartphone. Traditional ink screen e-books are mainly used for reading. Their advantages are that they imitate the reading experience of paper books, are eye-friendly, and have long battery life. On this basis, the Minimal Phone adds the basic functions of a smartphone such as phone calls, text messages, and web browsing, allowing users to enjoy the e-book reading experience while also performing daily communication functions. This is similar to the Ink Screen Smartphone previously released by Hisense. The phone is similar, but the difference is that it adds a physical keyboard, which is exactly the same as the BlackBerry.




(Photo source Minimal)


BlackBerry phones are known for their physical full keyboards and features focused on business communications, while The Minimal Phone retains the physical keyboard while introducing an e-ink screen. In addition, the BlackBerry uses a proprietary operating system and attaches great importance to security. The Minimal Phone runs a customized Android operating system and provides a wider range of applications and functions.



(Picture source BlackBerry)


But BlackBerry has withdrawn from the mobile phone market, which also reflects the dominance of touch screens in today's physical keyboard mobile phones is no longer widely popular in the market. At the same time, there are relatively few e-book users, and smartphones that specifically use e-ink screens are even rarer. Minimal Phone combines all these niche elements into one, so it is destined not to attract mass users, but it is in a specific niche market. may find its niche and will be highly dependent on the market's acceptance of its unique value and whether the company can effectively find its target audience.


Taken together, this product seems destined to become as niche as a collectible.

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