The Minimal Phone undoubtedly is one of the more interesting smartphone concepts we have seen in recent times. Not only does it feature an E Ink display but it breaks convention in that it comes with a full QWERTY keyboard. This makes it the only smartphone currently available or has some probability of being launched to feature a physical keyboard.
That said, no matter how exciting the Minimal Phone might seem at the moment, there are also wide-ranging apprehensions in some quarters about the viability of the project itself. As its makers have stated the phone is going to cost around $400 when ready, many claims that could be unfeasible even after taking into account economies of scale. That would be considering the project reaches its crowdfunding goal and that there are more than enough buyers backing the project. As it is, just the 3.5-inch E Ink display itself is likely to cost more than $100.
Apart from the cost per unit, the other aspect that too has cast a shadow on the project is the lack of a working prototype of the phone. As things stand at the moment, there is no way we can believe there is a prototype of the phone that exists and that it is in perfect working order. Particularly, we are keen to see the keyboard in action, and that it is in perfect sync with the software and the display. A video depicting the phone in action would have been nice but is conspicuously missing so far.
Further, as has been discussed in a Reddit post, Andre Youkhna, Founder & CEO of The Minimal Company – as has been described in his LinkedIn profile – has a very questionable past. He also seems to have several court cases ongoing against him. There have been allegations of not meeting financial obligations, with many claiming to have been dumped of the money he owed to them.
Under the circumstances, it remains to be seen how Andre Youkhna will push ahead with the project and whether the Minimal Phone will become a reality. We would love to see that happen though the cloud of uncertainty circling around does make things look a bit murky, it must be said.
With a keen interest in tech, I make it a point to keep myself updated on the latest developments in technology and gadgets. That includes smartphones or tablet devices but stretches to even AI and self-driven automobiles, the latter being my latest fad. Besides writing, I like watching videos, reading, listening to music, or experimenting with different recipes. The motion picture is another aspect that interests me a lot, and I'll likely make a film sometime in the future.
