Smartphone made in Germany: Punkt. MC03 with AphyOS is now available
The Punkt. MC03 was originally announced in January, now the smartphone is finally shipping. The originally announced mandatory subscription requirement has been dropped, all features can be used without restrictions. At first glance, the Punkt. MC03 looks like a conventional mid-range smartphone with a square camera module, a punch-hole, and a flat bezel, even though the body is quite thick and heavy at 11 millimeters and 240 grams.
The device is IP68-certified and therefore waterproof. The design is intended to make certain repairs particularly easy, such as replacing the 5,200 mAh battery, which can be charged via USB-C at 30 watts or wirelessly at 15 watts. However, there aren’t nearly as many replacement parts available for the MC03 as there are for the Fairphone 6. The standout feature of the Punkt. MC03, though, is that the device is manufactured in Germany, and the operating system comes from Switzerland.
That's because the MC03 comes with AphyOS, a version of Android based on GrapheneOS, which is designed to prevent tracking and protect data. AphyOS features a minimalist home screen and runs every third-party app in a "privacy bubble" to prevent them from accessing data outside the app. The system also includes a built-in VPN. The device will receive three years of feature updates and five years of security patches.
While the Punkt. MC03 is assembled in Germany, many of its components are likely sourced from Asia. This is because the MC03 features a MediaTek Dimensity 7300, paired with 8 GB of RAM, 256 GB of flash storage, and a microSD slot. The 6.67-inch OLED display features a resolution of 2,436 x 1,080 pixels, a 120 Hz refresh rate, and 550 nits of brightness. The fingerprint sensor is integrated into the display. Punkt. features a 32 MP selfie camera with a 1/3-inch sensor, a 64 MP main camera, an 8 MP ultra-wide-angle camera, and a 2 MP macro camera.
Pricing and availability
The Punkt. MC03 is now available at the manufacturer's online store for €745 ($849). Punkt. ships worldwide. Contrary to what was originally announced, no subscription is required to use the device, the AphyOS subscription is included in the purchase price for the lifetime of the smartphone.
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