People say they want small smartphones—the Enough Phone will put that to the test

The first modern smartphones had 3.5-inch screens, which can be hard to remember in today’s world of gargantuan glass slabs. Sure, people talk about wanting smaller phones, but will they buy one? Enough Phone is betting they will. The company will begin taking preorders for its first device today, which is built around a petite 5.3-inch screen that is apparently the smallest it could find with decent performance metrics.

The company’s cheeky name is reflected in its approach to phone design. A flagship killer this is not, but it’s probably “enough” for most people. It has a mid-range MediaTek processor, a single rear-facing camera, a polycarbonate body, and a fingerprint sensor in the power button.

With that compact screen, the Enough Phone will be dwarfed by almost every existing smartphone. While it’s a bit thicker, the device has almost the same footprint as the iPhone 13 Mini. Thinness takes a hit, as the designers have opted to make the battery user-replaceable. Like the Fairphone, you’ll just have to remove a few screws to get the back cover off.

On the software front, the device will offer a choice. You can get an Enough Phone with a standard Google-certified build of Android 17, which is probably what most people will choose. It also supports OdysseyOS, a streamlined, de-Googled version of Android that behaves like a dumbphone (it doesn’t even have a browser).

Some minor details are still up in the air. The designers aren’t yet sure about waterproofing and durability ratings, and the battery capacity could change. But they hope that spec will go up, not down, if it changes at all. Carrier support is also unclear right now. It will be an unlocked 5G phone, and the company is aiming for “broad global support.” But if you’re on a restrictive carrier like Verizon, you may be out of luck.

A waiting game

The other wrinkle is the timeline. The Enough Phone goes live on Kickstarter today, with shipping currently slated for May 2027. The phone might seem like enough today, but will you feel the same in six months? Plenty of Kickstarter projects have failed to deliver on time (or at all). The Enough Phone team points out that this isn’t its first smartphone effort, though. The team says it has designed and shipped hardware for other companies you’ve heard of, working as an original design manufacturer (ODM).

If you’ve been posting comments about how much you want a smaller phone, now’s your chance to do something about it. The Enough Phone starts at $399 for early backers. It will go up to $449 and then $499 later. The final MSRP will be $599. That’s not bad for a niche piece of hardware, given the rapid increase in component costs.

You will have to take a little leap of faith to get on board with the Enough Phone. The company says it plans to support the device with updates through 2032, which is almost flagship territory. But when a company like Samsung or Google makes that commitment, it’s essentially a guarantee. This is the first phone this group has made under its own brand, and there’s no telling how that will work out.

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