With a black-and-white E-Ink screen: New phone aims to combat distractions

A new phone manufacturer, Mudita, has unveiled the Kompakt—a minimalist phone with a black-and-white E-Ink display intended to reduce distractions. The Kompakt, featuring a 4.3-inch E-Ink screen with a resolution of 800x480 pixels, forgoes advanced OLED or LCD color screens in favor of an energy-efficient, easy-to-read display similar to that of e-readers. The choice of a smaller screen and relatively low resolution is part of Mudita's philosophy: to limit the temptations and distractions that come with modern smartphones.

The Kompakt runs a proprietary operating system called MuditaOS K, based on open-source Android but without Google services. The system includes only essential applications such as phone, SMS messaging, offline maps, a voice recorder, a calculator, a camera for still photos only (8 megapixels), and an e-reader.

To further reduce distractions, the phone allows users to disable the camera, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi. Additionally, the company has added a side switch that entirely shuts down cellular communication and all three microphones.

The Kompakt’s specifications include a 3,300mAh battery, offering up to six days of standby time, an IP54 durability rating, a 3.5mm headphone jack, a fingerprint reader, NFC sensor, wireless charging, a SIM tray, and a microSD memory card slot.

The Kompakt will be available in two versions—one for North American cellular networks and one for the rest of the world. The phone supports 2G, 3G, and 4G LTE networks, but lacks 5G compatibility, a decision aimed at further minimizing distractions. The device is now available for pre-order through a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter, with an early-bird price of around $325, while the final retail price is expected to be approximately $476.