Minimal's New Phone Looks Ready to Compete vs Clicks, Unihertz Titan
For a lot of us, the phone that signaled keyboard phones might still have a place in modern society was probably the Unihertz Titan Slim or the Titan 2. That device made the rounds on social media, pulling in a pretty good amount of attention, but it was far from the first keyboard phone on the market. There have been plenty of other keyboard devices floating around, including one unique project called the Minimal Phone.
The original device looked like a cross between a Kindle or a Kobo and a classic keyboard phone. It featured a very clean, minimal design with a full QWERTY keyboard at the bottom, a headphone jack and a black and white e-paper display running Android 14. While that e-paper screen promised excellent battery life, it also brought all the typical e-ink downsides, like heavy ghosting, basic camera performance and a very slow refresh rate. Even with those limitations, the concept was genuinely interesting to anyone trying to cut back on screen time.
Now, the company has officially unveiled the Minimal Phone 2, and it represents a massive shift in direction.
A Whole New Form Factor
The design team took a massive leap toward devices like the Clicks Communicator or the Unihertz Titan 2 Elite. Looking at the front of the hardware, the absolute biggest change is the screen. The company completely ditched the e-paper display in favor of a proper, full color screen. It looks like it could be an LCD or an OLED panel, which instantly eliminates any issues with slow responsiveness or sluggish refresh rates.
Some people will definitely lament the loss of the e-paper screen. If you bought the original version specifically to stop yourself from doom scrolling, watching YouTube Shorts or clicking through TikTok videos, that distraction-free barrier is gone. This new device does keep a squared off screen ratio, which should still naturally discourage mindless media consumption, but it will be much less prohibitive than the original e-ink display.
Software and Hardware Upgrades
To help keep you focused, the phone showcases a custom launcher that prominently displays your calendar, upcoming meetings and a small, curated selection of applications. The device runs on Android, so you will likely be able to swap out the interface for whatever custom launcher you prefer.
The physical keyboard looks excellent, featuring well-spaced, decently sized keys. Moving around the side of the device, you will find standard volume keys, a power button that likely integrates a fingerprint scanner and a 3.5 mm headphone jack. The back features a single camera that sits completely flush with the chassis. Looking at a flush sensor, you should not expect groundbreaking camera hardware, but modern software processing goes a long way.
The build quality also gets a major upgrade, as the entire chassis is milled out of a solid block of aluminum. The original version relied heavily on plastic, so moving to a metal frame brings a highly premium feel, similar to the metal rails found on other high-end keyboard devices.
Pricing and Expectations
There is no official price tag or release date yet, but looking at the original model helps set some realistic expectations. The first Minimal Phone launched at $500, and it currently sells for $449 with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. When you are dealing with bespoke, niche tech products manufactured in smaller quantities, they naturally command a premium. Swapping out a plastic build for milled aluminum and replacing an e-paper panel with a full color display will inevitably impact the cost.
If you are eyeing this new hardware, you should mentally prepare to land somewhere in the ballpark of the original price tag, which aligns closely with the current competition in the keyboard space.
The e-paper concept was a novelty, but for many daily users, the slow refresh rate simply got in the way more than it helped. It would have been fascinating to see them experiment with a reflective LCD screen, similar to the Sharp displays used in the Pebble smartwatches, which only draw power when the screen updates without sacrificing animation speeds. Going with a standard color display will ultimately give this device much broader appeal. The premium aluminum build and classic form factor make this an incredibly compelling option for anyone who loves physical keyboards.
