The smartphone world is dominated by big, colourful touchscreen devices like the iPhone and Samsung Galaxy. But a new crowdfunded phone called the Minimal Phone is going back to basics with a throwback design featuring a physical keyboard and black and white E Ink display. Minimal Phone is the creation of Minimal Company, which plans to launch a crowdfunding campaign in early February to manufacture at least 3,000 units. The company says the phone's final design is complete and aims to ship the device later this year if funding goals are met. This isn't your typical smartphone. Instead of a bright LCD or OLED screen, Minimal Phone uses a power-friendly monochrome E Ink display like you'd find on an e-reader. This provides easy outdoor readability and uses less electricity, allowing the phone's 4,000 mAh battery to last up to 4 days on a charge according to Minimal Company. The tradeoff is that an E Ink display isn't ideal for video or motion-heavy games. It’s not like you’ll not be able to play those at all, but the display technology is definitely not suited for such use. However, for those looking to minimize distractions and focus on communication and productivity probably wouldn’t need support for it anyway. The Minimal Phone is meant to offer digital detox while still providing smartphone capabilities, after all. Despite the minimalist aesthetic, founder Andre Youkhana says the phone will have modern features like a touch-enabled E Ink screen, camera, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, global cellular connectivity, and Android OS with Google Play support. The company is also exploring 5G capabilities. At 120 x 72 x 10mm, the phone has a compact form factor reminiscent of older BlackBerry designs thanks to its full QWERTY keyboard. This physical keyboard complements the E Ink display for efficient typing and messaging. Minimal Phone's pared-down MinimalOS comes preloaded with a curated set of apps focused on productivity and privacy. With prices starting around $400 (Rs 33,250), it aims to provide core smartphone functionality at an affordable price point for the niche audience seeking a simpler mobile experience. That said, the Kickstarter launch will determine if there's enough interest to put the Minimal Phone into production. There’s even a chance it may never go into production at all if the funding needs aren’t met or an unexpected snag gets in the way - but we’re hoping it all goes smoothly.
