I finally used my Minimal Phone (MP01) as an actual phone for about a week. Previously, I had been using it as basically a small e-reader, waiting on the perpetually pending OS update. But I decided I had waited long enough and went ahead and put my SIM in it. Since I had already set up the OS and Google account, it just worked. I really liked the hardware (e-paper and physical keyboard), but I gave up on it mainly because I don't think the OS update situation will satisfy my security needs.
Good
Overall, I like the hardware and think it came out quite good considering it is a newly designed device in a setup that hasn't been done before from a new company.
The e-paper screen, while it has its quirks (black and white, slow, ghosting), is easier on my eyes for long periods than a regular OLED / LCD screen. It is really nice for reading and in sunlight. Minimal used a cheaper panel than official E-ink, so it isn't quite as good as that, but still plenty good for my needs. I am fine with a limited capability screen when I'm on the go, and wish there were more options with this screen type, or at least RLCD.
The physical keyboard is much nicer to me than the screen keyboards so common on smartphones these days. I can type much faster and more precisely on it. It is thumb typing, so not nearly as fast or comfortable as full-sized touch typing, but still much better for me than screen typing, for which I never have been that great. I've occasionally had glitches with the alt / symbol setup, for which I've had to restart apps or the phone to fix, but not often enough to really bother me.
Some other bits I like: The fingerprint button is much easier to find and use blindly than the in screen readers popular on flagship phones. The device is nice to hold, especially with the added case. The company's focus on Minimalist interface is nice. I use KISS Launcher instead of their home screen, but it is similarly minimalist with appropriate settings. It has a headphone jack, so it could make a good music player.
Bad
The security / update issue is the biggest reason I most likely won't use the phone as a phone going forward. With two-factor SMS popular with banks, and the importance of email for all accounts, I don't want to be too far behind on updates. They've been promising an OS update for many months. They only have one developer, who does quite well for the situation, but can only do so much. The last update was in November 2025. Even if the new one happens soon, I don't expect them to be super frequent going forward, especially considering the company is introducing the MP02 model.
The expected update is not only for the OS, but for Google Play Services, which doesn't seem to be able to update by itself. Overall, this security model doesn't seem sufficient for my needs.
The hardware doesn't support video out (USB C alt display port), in spite of it having advertised it when I first pre-ordered it. It doesn't support the new Linux AVF terminal that Android now has. I've been wanting convergence since Ubuntu tried to make a phone. I've wanted to get a nice lightweight dev setup. This phone wouldn't support that.
Other annoyances: The camera isn't very good. The OS has some bugs, which may or may not get fixed with the next update. Using it as a phone, it wouldn't let me make outgoing calls once until I put it into and out of airplane mode. I guess that's a common problem with it. The front-light config panel is a bit clunky to use and switch between desired levels. For me, I want no light in bright situations and low light in dark situations, and would love it if the refresh button could be switched to toggle this.
So
If it weren't for the update / security issue, I probably would live with it, but I think for now I'm going to use a more normal phone for phoning, and use the MP01 for reading, writing notes, etc, when desired. It does work nicely for that and is much more portable than a laptop or even my full-sized e-reader as an additional device.