If you've ever thought about trading in your smartphone for a dumb phone, you may have stumbled across Dot. German company MP01 And MP02 the phone was deliberately not “smart”; rather, they were minimalist plastic slabs with a tiny display and lots of large physical buttons. The point of owning one of these Punkt devices isn't to sit and scroll for hours on your smartphone; it means using your phone when you need to, and doing it privately.
At first glance, the MC03 looks like any other smartphone.
The company's MC0 line changes the script a bit, and that doesn't change with the latest version: MC03. While there's still an emphasis on privacy and minimalism, this latest device is virtually indistinguishable from other Android smartphones on the market—at least in appearance. Gone are the physical buttons and the tiny display; you now have a large 120Hz OLED display and a selfie camera on top. Flip the MC03 over and you'll see a set of four rear cameras located in the top left corner of the rear panel. Other than the big “Punkt” logo in the bottom right corner, this could really be any other phone.
What sets the MC03 apart from Samsung or Motorola phones is what's inside, including most notably the operating system. When you open your phone, you're not greeted with a grid of app icons and widgets. Instead, you see a list of app and feature names with no icons or colors. It's about as simple an interface as you'd expect from a device with a modern smartphone display, which may appeal to those looking for a minimalist experience.
This is because MC03 does not run Android. Like previous Punkt phones, this device runs AphyOS. operating system created by Apostrophe. This custom OS is touted to be the privacy-focused operating system that Punkt uses for the MC03. According to the company, AphysOS can block tracking and profiling tools, as well as block malware, hidden apps and background services. The OS can also reportedly combat spying using “secure code” to block attacks.
The company says this new phone separates data and features into two key “repositories.” First up is the “Vault”, which includes Punkt-approved apps and a minimalistic user interface. Proton is a reliable company, so you can count on Proton Mail, Proton Calendar, Proton Drive, Proton VPN and Proton Pass in the Vault. Secondly, there is the Wild Web, which allows you to install any application under strict security and privacy settings. You can download apps from the privacy-focused Punkt app store, which features programs endorsed by both AphyOS and Punkt, as well as the “generally available apps” store.
What are your thoughts so far?
In addition to this display, Punkt says the device has other hardware benefits such as a 5,200mAh removable battery (a rarity in modern smartphones), IP68 water and dust resistance, and a 64MP camera.
Privacy isn't free on MC03
However, all these features come at an ongoing cost. After a year, you'll need to pay for AphyOS, which costs $10 per month. You can also choose a three-year subscription for $129 ($5.38 per month) or a five-year subscription for $199 ($4.15 per month). The phone itself costs $699, which is relatively expensive for a phone of this caliber, so whether the privacy and minimalism perks are worth the price tag really depends on the individual buyer. (I'm a big privacy advocate, but the MC03 definitely needs to impress me before I switch to the subscription model for its OS.) If you don't need a new phone, there are hacks that will make your existing device dumber into something more minimal – and, of course, there are steps you can take to protect your privacy on any device.
MC03 is not yet available. Punkt announced the new phone ahead of next week's CES and said the new device will go on sale in North America this spring. Pre-orders are currently available in Europe.
