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

After I tried Boox’s Palma and Palma 2 just a few months in the past, I could not fairly match both machine into my life. For essentially the most half, sure points 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 value shopping for.

At IFA in Germany, Boox confirmed off an upgraded Palma with a colour E Ink show, which after all, is a welcome improve over the primary and second technology’s black and white E Ink display screen, however the important thing new characteristic that caught my consideration is 4G+/LTE mobile connectivity (hopefully, it has a bodily SIM card slot and never simply eSIM). Which means that the following Palma can much more simply work as a primary Android smartphone with deliberately restricted options.

Whereas I loved my time with the Palma 2, one in every of 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 along with me, I wanted to both tether it to my smartphone, defeating the aim of how I wished 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 when you’ve ever tried to make use of the web on a Palma, you will know that it is a bit of a nightmare, significantly when attempting to maneuver by way of finicky Wi-Fi authentication screens at Starbucks. Because the Palma and Palma 2 aren’t technically smartphones and have been as an alternative 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 a knowledge connection. It looks like lots of people purchased the Palma to make use of as a smartphone alternative, somewhat 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 a knowledge connection lets me simply obtain Google Chat messages from my accomplice or Fb Messages from my family and friends, permitting me to maintain tabs on issues which can be necessary to me, whereas nonetheless that includes sufficient friction to forestall me from aimlessly browsing the web. In principle, I might even take a fast name from this Palma if I wanted to. Which means that 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 seems just about an identical to the unique Palma and the Palma 2, however there are just a few upgrades underneath 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.

Take a look at the video above from YouTube channel Kit Betts-Masters for a glimpse on the upcoming machine. Boox hasn’t formally introduced the third technology Palma — it would not have a launch date or an official title but, both.