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| Balmuda Phone: Mini Android Phone |
Japanese design company Balmuda presented its first Android smartphone at a press conference in Tokyo.
The appearance of the Balmuda is very similar to the HTC One X that was released nearly ten years ago.
Balmuda Phone is the premiere product from Balmuda Technologies. Balmuda Technologies is a new division of the company that was previously known for its elegant and luxurious home appliances such as air purifiers and rice cookers.
As you might expect, the Balmuda Phone is quite different from other phones on the market. The CEO said he believes smartphones have become too big and impractical in recent years. Hence, the design goal of Balmuda Phone is miniature and elegant.
It has a very clear 4.9 inch screen with 1080p resolution and 16:9 aspect ratio. It is almost the same as the 4.7 inch iPhone SE.
The thickness of the thickest part of this phone is 13.7 mm. But the back tapers sharply towards the edge. There is a large camera with a 48-megapixel sensor in the upper right corner, and there is a similar hole in the upper left corner with a fingerprint sensor. An 8-megapixel selfie camera is located in the hole at the top right of the screen.
This phone comes with a Snapdragon 765 processor with 6GB and 128GB storage. The battery capacity is 2500 mAh. The mobile has a wireless charging feature.
The body is made of plastic. But the build quality seems reliable. Contrast between back and hem.
Small Android phone for $900
The user interface based on Android 11 is different from what you see on most Android phones at the moment.
There is an interactive home screen with various customizable background items for different shortcuts. For example, you can drag a line to start Google Maps.
By swiping horizontally, you can switch between some of the built-in programs like calendar, note-taking apps, and calculators.
The Balmuda Phone will be launched in Japan later this month under a contract with SoftBank. The unlocked model from Balmuda costs about $920.
This might seem like a lot for the small Android 11 phones with these specs. But you pay for the design and user experience, not the hardware cost. This is clearly not for those who want the traditional Android flagship.