With backers losing patience, the long-delayed Minimal Phone is rumored to ship in two weeks
Originally offered on Indiegogo, the Minimal Phone is for those who don't want to view the world through their smartphone's display. You might say that the device was made for those who have a life beyond their phone. So the device features an e-ink display sporting 230 pixels per inch (about half the PPI number for the 6.9-inch screen on the iPhone 16 Pro Max) with a 4:3 aspect ratio.
Equipped with 6GB of RAM and support for 4G connectivity, the goal here is to offer you a phone that is there when you need it while other times you get to enjoy life. Under the hood is a MediaTek Helio G99 processor with two performance Cortex-A76 CPU cores running at a 2.2GHz clock speed, and six efficiency Cortex-A55 CPU cores. The Minimal phone has 128GB of expandable storage with a 16MP rear camera and a 5MP front-facing snapper.
The phone features a 3000mAh battery that lasts for up to four days between charges, and the device supports Wi-Fi 5, NFC, and Bluetooth 5.0. It also is equipped with GPS, a fingerprint sensor, and has DualSIM capabilities. The Minimal Phone runs on Android 14 and allows you to access the Google Play Store so you can use your favorite apps. And we shouldn't forget that the device has a 3.5mm headphone jack and a physical QWERTY keyboard, two things that you won't find on today's pricey flagship handsets.
Originally expected to be released last August, that shipping date was delayed until September. The last update called for the e-ink phone to start shipping "between November and December." This did not occur and an updated FAQ from the company's founders said that the Minimal Phone would be delivered starting in December. The new year arrived but the Minimal Phone did not.
The Minimal Phone can be pre-ordered in two colors. | Image-credit-Minimal
A post on social media, apparently written last month by someone who ordered the phone on Indiegogo, says that the phone will ship on January 20th. The delay was unofficially blamed on problems with the e-ink display. The company is apparently still accepting pre-orders in one of two colors. One color option is a dark black color called Onyx, and the other is a silver color called Fusion. Each model can be pre-ordered for $399 which is a 20% discount from the retail price of $499. In the U.S., the Minimal Phone will work with AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon.
Backers of the Minimal Phone are losing patience. While there are some believers holding out hope on Reddit, even these optimists are talking about seeking a refund if they do not receive their phones soon. We have tried to contact Minimal and if we get any response we will update this story.
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