The minimalist phone is gradually reverting to being a smartphone.

      I have a greater appreciation for minimalist phones in theory than I likely would in actual use. I desire fewer reasons to look at a screen, yet I recognize that I'm accustomed to my phone performing everyday tasks swiftly and effortlessly.

      This is why the Minimal Phone 2 piques my interest. It replaces the initial model's E-paper display with a more fluid 90Hz AMOLED screen, along with upgraded hardware, 5G capabilities, and improved cameras. If I were to purchase one, I would likely desire most of those enhancements as well. The issue arises when all these additions collectively make the Minimal Phone resemble the smartphones it was intended to provide an alternative to.

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      The constraints were part of the charm.

      The original Minimal Phone was effective in part because its limitations were non-negotiable. Minimal marketed the E-paper display as a means to minimize distractions while still allowing access to Android apps. You could still download YouTube or Instagram, but using those on E-paper was hardly conducive to relaxation. Engaging in endless scrolling required a certain level of commitment.

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      I can appreciate a phone that sometimes makes me reconsider reaching for it due to boredom. Some users expressed similar sentiments, claiming that the E-paper experience distinguished the Minimal Phone from other Android devices equipped with a keyboard.

      The Phone 2 complicates that distinction. A quicker and smoother experience resolves genuine frustrations, which is typically what I seek in a new phone. However, it also eliminates one of the original model's most effective strategies for encouraging me to set the device aside.

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      There are valid reasons for the change.

      Minimal had practical motivations for departing from E-paper as well. One of its developers noted that locating a suitable display in the correct size and making a significant improvement over the first model would entail expensive research and development.

      I also recognize why some users would welcome the shift. The charm of intentional inconvenience can wear thin when it obstructs essential tasks. Over time, the phone transitions from fostering healthier habits to becoming a source of frustration. Other users view that annoyance as part of the value they initially paid for.

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      I find myself uncomfortably positioned between those viewpoints. I don’t want my phone luring me into an hour-long scroll, but I also don’t want retrieving a boarding pass to feel like a test of my character.

      Can software substitute for an inconvenient screen?

      The Phone 2 now relies on software to perform many of the functions that E-paper previously managed by default. Minimal still aims for the experience to be calmer and more purposeful, with features like Focus Hours guiding how the device is utilized, despite the hardware becoming significantly easier to handle.

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      This is where my conviction starts to waver. An E-paper display doesn’t consider my level of self-discipline on a given afternoon. If Instagram appears unappealing on it, it simply looks unappealing. Restraint driven by software demands more cooperation from me than a display that inherently makes distractions less attractive.

      Perhaps that’s the dilemma. People still expect a high-end phone to respond swiftly and manage essential functions, and it's difficult to fault anyone for wanting that. But Minimal could continue to enhance the Phone 2 until there’s hardly anything in the hardware preventing me from using it like every other smartphone.

      The Minimal Phone 2 might ultimately be the more practical product due to these compromises. However, one must question whether “Minimal” still accurately represents the phone, or if it merely describes the narrative you tell yourself while carrying yet another nearly-smartphone in disguise.