Pebble Might Make a Comeback with a Compact Android Smartphone

Eric Migicovsky, the founder of Pebble, previously made a plea for a small Android phone to compete with the iPhone Mini. Now that Apple has stopped producing small phones, Migicovsky’s Small Android Phone petition has evolved into a community-based project, including a team working to design and produce the phone. The petition received 38,700 signatures, with almost all of them coming from an article from The Verge.

The Small Android Phone team has been quietly working on sourcing a display, choosing a chip, and designing the phone’s body in a small Discord group. The team has also discussed how they might pay for it all. The team aims to create a phone for small phone enthusiasts and is seeking feedback at every step of the process.

The team has a couple of leads on camera software, including options from Chinese developers and individuals who’ve worked on RAW camera apps for other phones. While they haven’t decided on the material of the phone yet, they’re considering a metal frame covered in glass composite or ceramic-coated aluminium. The team aims to stand out with their attention to detail, not with the expensive use of unusual materials.

The phone’s internal codename is “Marvin,” but the team hasn’t decided on a name for the phone yet. The team is looking to make a premium flagship, but that doesn’t necessarily mean top-tier performance. They’re currently considering the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 and a yet-to-be-released mid-tier Qualcomm chip for the phone’s chipset. The team hopes to provide at least two years of software updates.

The phone’s price is not yet finalized, but the team is preparing the community for a potential $850 price tag. A phone from an established manufacturer with similar specs and a more standard form factor would cost around $650-700. The team is still negotiating with the manufacturer and considering various factors that could impact the phone’s final price.

Overall, the Small Android Phone project aims to produce a small Android phone for enthusiasts who prioritize the phone’s size. The team is seeking feedback and is carefully considering various factors, including the phone’s materials, camera software, and chipset, to make it a premium flagship phone.

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(Source, Via)