This upcoming E Ink gadget could possibly be the final word dumbphone

After I tried Boox’s Palma and Palma 2 a couple of months in the past, I could not fairly match both system into my life. For probably the most half, sure facets of the friction so many people appreciated felt like an excessive amount of of a problem. Nonetheless, it looks like the China-based firm could possibly be engaged on what may find yourself being the primary dumbphone price shopping for.

At IFA in Germany, Boox confirmed off an upgraded Palma with a colour E Ink show, which in fact, is a welcome improve over the primary and second era’s black and white E Ink display screen, however the important thing new function that caught my consideration is 4G+/LTE mobile connectivity. Which means the subsequent Palma can much more simply work as a fundamental Android smartphone with deliberately restricted options.

Whereas I loved my time with the Palma 2, one in all my key points with the E Ink pill is the truth that it relied solely on Wi-Fi connectivity. This meant that if I took it out on the go together with me, I wanted to both tether it to my smartphone, defeating the aim of how I needed to make use of the Palma within the first place, since I wanted to convey my iPhone 16 Pro, or connect with public Wi-Fi.

And in the event you’ve ever tried to make use of the web on a Palma, you may know that it’s kind of of a nightmare, significantly when making an attempt to maneuver by means of finicky Wi-Fi authentication screens at Starbucks. Because the Palma and Palma 2 aren’t technically smartphones and have been as a substitute designed to be pint-sized e-readers, this is sensible, however a typical statement I’ve seen concerning the E Ink pill is how rather more succesful it will be if it featured an information connection. It appears like lots of people purchased the Palma to make use of as a smartphone alternative, quite than an e-reader, and it looks like Boox observed that.

The following-gen Palma could possibly be the dumbphone I have been ready for

It is unclear when Boox plans to launch it, although

After all, the brand new Palma will nonetheless be terrible at doomscrolling social media, significantly with video-focused platforms like TikTok, however that is the purpose of a dumbphone. The addition of an information connection lets me simply obtain Google Chat messages from my associate or Fb Messages from my family and friends, permitting me to maintain tabs on issues which might be vital to me, whereas nonetheless that includes sufficient friction to stop me from aimlessly browsing the web. In principle, I might even take a fast name from this Palma if I wanted to. Which means I am nonetheless capable of take a wholesome break from the siren name of my smartphone, however I am not that disconnected.

This upcoming Palma could possibly be the primary dumbphone that works for me, whereas constructing on what different comparable telephones just like the Light Phone III began. The brand new Palma appears just about an identical to the unique Palma and the Palma 2, however there are a couple of upgrades below the hood. First off, the e̶-̶r̶e̶a̶d̶e̶r̶ dumbphone options an improve Kaleido 3 colour e-paper show, and it will in all probability run on a brand new model of Android, probably Android 14 or Android 15, giving it entry to extra apps in Google’s Play Retailer. The demo version at IFA ran Chinese firmware that does not have entry to the Play Retailer, however that in all probability will not be the case with the North American model of the third gen Palma.

Try the video above from YouTube channel Kit Betts-Masters for a glimpse on the upcoming system. Boox hasn’t formally introduced the third era Palma — it would not have a launch date or an official identify but, both.