ver $1.6 million on Kickstarter against an initial goal of just $100,000 — the Minimal Phone 2 by The Minimal Company hit its funding target in minutes. Backers clearly miss physical keyboards reminiscent of BlackBerry's heyday, but the second-generation concept raises serious questions.
Originally, the device was pitched as an antidote to doomscrolling: a basic chassis, tactile keys, and a sluggish E-Ink display that made watching short-form video practically unbearable. The developers have now changed their minds. Instead of an e-reader for texting, they are installing a full-color OLED screen and flagship-tier memory. Stripping away the marketing fluff: the vision of a distraction-free phone has buckled under commercial ambitions and backer demands.
Digital detox with flagship specs
Once crowdfunding passed the $1.5 million mark, the creators confirmed their promise: every Minimal Phone 2 will pack at least 12GB of RAM. Why a keyboard-focused minimalist handset needs this much memory remains an open question. For perspective, brands usually reserve that amount for top-tier devices to juggle dozens of demanding background apps and 3D games.
The phone will run the custom Android-based Minimal OS. Beneath the display sits a physical QWERTY keyboard with a capacitive, gesture-sensitive surface. Connectivity specs include modern 5G, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.4, GPS, a standard physical SIM slot, and an eSIM.
"Instead of an E-Ink screen, the second generation gets a standard OLED panel"
The company is even targeting Apple services, teasing iMessage integration via the third-party OpenBubbles tool. In practice, this setup is notoriously unreliable: workarounds like this typically require an active Mac or a recurring third-party subscription costing $16.99 per month.
Real-world value and backing risks
In reality, this is an attempt to chase two conflicting goals. The original model used a slow electronic ink screen as a barrier to keep users away from addictive feeds. Combining a vivid OLED matrix with 12GB of RAM effectively turns the Minimal Phone 2 into a standard smartphone with a shrunk screen and physical keys bolted on. There is little left to curb screen addiction — the color panel will stream endless video reels without hesitation.
Backing this experiment costs $600 at the entry tier on Kickstarter. Delivery is slated for December 2026 at the earliest, with shipments likely slipping into 2027. Handing over significant cash to an unproven startup without retail guarantees — and waiting nearly two years — is a high-risk gamble.
The initial ethos of digital minimalism got lost in the chase for high-end hardware. Paying premium smartphone prices for a niche hybrid with a distant shipping date looks like speculative enthusiasm over real-world practicality.