Fairly affordable: Smartphone comes with fast e-ink color display and stylus

Smartphones with an e-ink display are not an entirely new idea, and various manufacturers offer such models. The HiBreak Plus, which is now at least available for preorder, is a relatively low-cost smartphone. More specifically, it is being offered at a price of $249, though import charges apparently are not included in the price, while there are no additional shipping costs. At that price, buyers get only the smartphone itself. For an additional $40, a stylus and a case are also included. The smartphone is scheduled to ship on April 20.

Interestingly, Bigme apparently has not yet shared detailed specifications. It uses an 8-core SoC, and the Kaleido 3 color display measures 6.13 inches diagonally and is said to offer a refresh rate of up to 52 frames per second. Android 14 is used as the OS, so third-party apps should also work without any issues. At 4 GB, the RAM is quite limited for a smartphone in 2026, and the same applies to the 64 GB of internal storage. Dual SIM use is possible, though connections to 5G cellular networks are not supported.

A GPS module is included, so the HiBreak Plus should also be usable for navigation, for example. The front light can be adjusted across 36 brightness levels. The listed weight is 6.8 oz. With the stylus, text or notes can also be entered in a handwriting-like way. It has a 4,500 mAh battery.