A smartphone without any tracking from Google, Meta and others? A Swiss company wants to make this possible. But what compromises do you have to make for data privacy? I took a look at the new smartphone at the MWC in Barcelona.
In the smartphone world, there’s no getting around Google and others. Google (Apple or Huawei as alternatives) offers pre-installed services on virtually every smartphone and collects user data. The Swiss manufacturer Punkt wants to change this narrative. The company has been selling classic push-button phones with a focus on privacy for many years. Now, they unveiled their first smartphone.
Punkt MC03 Smartphone Unveiled
The Punkt MC03 arrives without a single Google service as standard, giving you the power to choose. The smartphone runs on the company’s own AphyOS system. This is Android-based, but relies on the open-source AOSP version. It does not include any Google services or tracking by the US company as standard.
However, no Google services also means no Play Store. Punkt offers a range of privacy-friendly apps such as Threema and Proton Mail in its own app store. Other apps can be downloaded as an APK file from the respective developers. Take WhatsApp or Telegram, for instance. However, not all apps can run without Google services.
Alternatively, you can install Google services when setting up the smartphone, from where the Play Store will be available. Doing so will mean the smartphone is not completely free from Google’s tracking, but significantly more apps will work. This is an alternative for anyone who is dependent on certain apps.
The company’s own operating system will be supplemented by three years of updates and five years of security patches.
Punkt MC03 Hardware
The hardware of the MC03 resides in the lower mid-range. You get a 6.67-inch OLED display, which made a pretty good impression at first glance. However, it is powered by a mediocre Dimensity 7300 SoC from MediaTek with 8 gigabytes of RAM. However, when using it for the first time, apps launched rather quickly without any major delay.
The camera offers a resolution count of 64 megapixels. An 8 megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera is also included. The battery sports an average capacity of 5,200 mAh and can be replaced by the user by removing the screws behind.
Incidentally, the Punkt MC03 is manufactured in Germany, namely Gigaset in Bocholt. While the assembly took place there, the individual components hail from China.
Smartphone With a Monthly Cost
However, data privacy on this smartphone does not come cheap. €699 is the asking price — rather hefty price considering the hardware offered. In addition, a monthly subscription fee is required to take advantage of its privacy. This is included for the first 12 months after purchase. After that, you pay €10 per month for the operating system. It is significantly cheaper if you were to pay in advance. Doing so will cost you €129 for three years or €199 for 5 years. The price also includes a VPN service for the smartphone.
It is unclear what happens if the customer cancels the subscription. The manufacturer wrote: “Canceling the subscription leads to a gradual deactivation of the functions. […]”. Considering how tied in people are to Google Services and its suite of products, I fear the Punkt MC03 faces significant challenges to make its mark.
