What it is advisable to know
- Gentle’s newest minimalist smartphone, the Gentle Cellphone 3, is now accessible for pre-order.
- Gentle Cellphone 3 retails for $799, however is obtainable at a $200 low cost throughout the pre-order part.
- The minimalist cellphone options an AMOLED monochrome display screen, USB-C, and two cameras.
In case you’re searching for a brand new minimalist smartphone with solely the fundamentals, you are in luck: Gentle is now accepting pre-orders for the Gentle Cellphone 3. It isn’t fairly a “dumb cellphone,” with a sensible options like navigation, fingerprint unlock, and two cameras, however it does not supply a browser or social media. That, paired with the monochrome display screen, is designed to cut back display screen time and encourage intentional use of the cellphone.
Though the Gentle Cellphone 3 could also be small and restricted by way of options, it is not precisely low-cost: it can retail for $799. At the moment, you’ll be able to pre-order it at a cheaper price of $599 for a restricted time. Gentle says that it’ll proceed to promote the Gentle Cellphone 2 even after the Cellphone 3 is launched, which is obtainable at a way more manageable $299.
The highlights of the Gentle Cellphone 3 embrace an even bigger, 3.92-inch AMOLED monochrome show. It is up for debate whether or not that is an improve or downgrade from the Cellphone 2, which used a monochrome e-ink panel as a substitute. It is coated in matte glass that ought to make the Gentle Cellphone 3 simple on the eyes, and easy to view in direct daylight.
With a Qualcomm SM4450 chipset inside, the Gentle Cellphone 3 is not a powerhouse — and that isn’t surprising. It is geared up with 128GB of storage and 6GB of RAM. There are additionally nice-to-have options like a fingerprint sensor, NFC, GPS, Bluetooth 5.0, and eSIM assist, even when all of them aren’t practical at launch. For example, digital wallets aren’t supported, however may very well be sooner or later.
Whereas sure options are supported, like on-device music playback (no streaming) and navigation, others should not. Gentle makes it clear {that a} browser and social media will not ever be supported, as a result of they might defeat the purpose of getting a minimalist cellphone.
“At the moment the accessible instruments embrace an alarm, a timer, a calculator, a calendar, a listing, instructions, notes/voice memo, and a easy music or podcast participant,” the corporate writes on its web site. “We are going to proceed to roll out extra utility oriented instruments with ongoing software program updates, all the time optionally and by no means pre-installed.”
The battery lifetime of the Gentle Cellphone 3 is almost doubled in comparison with Cellphone 2, with a capability of 1,800 mAh. There’s additionally a fundamental rear digicam for the primary time — a 50MP sensor that defaults to 12MP photographs. On the entrance, you get an 8MP sensor.
The Gentle Cellphone 3 seems to be higher than the Cellphone 2 in nearly each method, however the firm does not see the newer mannequin as a direct alternative for its predecessor. That might clarify the upper price ticket and additional options.
Gentle estimates that pre-orders positioned now will ship round July 2025. They’re going to be delivered chronologically, so the earlier you pre-order, the earlier your cellphone will arrive.
