Minimal Phone 2 shifts focus with AMOLED upgrade

Minimal Company has unveiled its second-generation smartphone with an AMOLED display, 5G connectivity and significantly faster hardware, while retaining the physical QWERTY keyboard that distinguishes the device from mainstream touchscreen handsets.

The Minimal Phone 2 marks a sharp change from the original model’s 4.3-inch E Ink screen. The new handset uses a 3.92-inch AMOLED panel with a 1080 by 1240 resolution and 90Hz refresh rate, giving users smoother scrolling, richer colours and much faster visual response. The change addresses one of the main compromises associated with the first phone, whose slower display was intended partly to discourage prolonged screen use.

Minimal is nevertheless keeping its focus on users who want smartphone functions without a design centred on continuous content consumption. The compact screen is paired with a backlit physical QWERTY keyboard, upgraded keycaps and configurable shortcuts. The company is pitching the combination as a middle ground between conventional smartphones and stripped-down digital-detox devices.

Performance receives a substantial upgrade through MediaTek’s Dimensity 8300 processor. Standard configurations offer 8GB of RAM with either 256GB or 512GB of storage, replacing the comparatively modest hardware used in the first generation. The addition of 5G also removes another significant limitation of the original Minimal Phone.

The redesigned handset runs Android with Minimal OS layered over it, preserving access to mainstream applications rather than restricting owners to a small collection of specialised tools. That approach separates Minimal from so-called dumb phones, which typically sacrifice application compatibility to reduce screen time.

Camera hardware has also been strengthened. The Minimal Phone 2 carries a 50-megapixel rear camera with an f/1.8 aperture and a 20-megapixel front camera. The company has retained features increasingly uncommon on flagship smartphones, including a 3.5mm headphone socket. Dual stereo speakers, a side-mounted fingerprint reader and a programmable physical switch are also included.

Battery capacity stands at 3,000mAh, relatively modest by current smartphone standards but paired with the device’s small display. Charging options include 27W wired charging and 15W Qi wireless charging. An LED notification indicator can be configured with different colours for applications or contacts, extending the phone’s emphasis on obtaining information without repeatedly opening the display.

The shift to AMOLED is significant because E Ink was central to the identity of Minimal’s first device. Its limited refresh characteristics made animation, video and rapid scrolling less attractive, creating deliberate friction for users seeking to reduce habitual smartphone use. The replacement display makes the Phone 2 substantially more capable, but also raises questions about whether software, screen size and physical controls alone can sustain the company’s anti-distraction philosophy.

Minimal says the second phone carries forward its focus on communication, control and intentional use, while adopting a smaller body, aluminium construction, an improved keyboard and faster software. The handset will be offered in Pearl and Onyx finishes, while an Ember version is reserved for the higher-specification Founder’s Edition.

Crowdfunding prices begin at $599 for the model with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. A 512GB version with 8GB RAM has been offered at $675 under an early-bird tier, while the Founder’s Edition is priced at $899. The Kickstarter campaign has comfortably surpassed its original $100,000 funding target, signalling demand for physical-keyboard smartphones despite their niche position in the wider mobile market.

Minimal plans to begin shipments to backers in December 2026. The timetable will face scrutiny because the first Minimal Phone encountered delays before reaching customers after its crowdfunding campaign. That device eventually began shipping in early 2025, demonstrating that the concept could reach production while also highlighting the delivery risks associated with crowdfunded hardware.