So, it's that time again i'm on the hunt for a new smartphone
been doing a lot of searching and comparing devices available to me
few days back i came across this device it has some pretty bold claims
mainly it focuses on security and privacy and put's you in control
meet Punkt MC02 << far as names goes i love the name PUNKT lol and MC lol is a happy coincidence i guess
(long thread incoming with more details about this)
The Punkt MC02 has Android 13 (yes, in 2024) installed, but it strips away the interface you find on a Google Pixel 8, for example, and replaces it with AphyOS (based on GrapheneOS) and the Apostrophy Services.
The website says AphyOS and the Apostrophy Services keep you safe and won’t share your personal data for use in ads while protecting your data, and the system stores it all under Swiss jurisdiction.
Apostrophy has been developed to connect people, not leverage them. A mobile software ecosystem designed in Switzerland, independent, and intentionally private.
Switzerland may provide some additional privacy benefits for data storage. Or it could also be clever marketing.
The phone also has a Virtual Private Network (VPN) called Digital Nomad, which I could use to connect to servers in Germany, Japan, and the U.S. from the U.K.
It’s yours for $749.
An ecosystem of safe and secure communications with data sovereignty at its core. Making data privacy accessible for all, as an alternative to advertising based models that monetise your personal information.
It also comes with Thunderbird app as your main email app pre-installed
Secure tools available
E-mail
Contacts
Calendar
Storage
Tasks
Carbon & Data Ledger
A world first: View and easily control the privacy risk level and environmental imprint for each individual apps.
https://www.punkt.ch/en/mc02-5g-secure-phone/
now though it sounds good until you realise just how much you are paying buying the device isn't all you have to fork out it's a subscription based OS so you pay monthly/yearly for the privilege
https://www.punkt.ch/en/products/mc02-5g-secure-phone/#apostrophy
it's a device i'd fork out for just found it interesting
you really only need to sign in to your google account if you want to add apps via google play store using their GMS wizard feature
GMS wizard
Walk through wizard in case you may want install apps from Google Play store*
* A valid Google account is necessary.
Once the Play Store is installed, you are able to live in a completely private Apostrophy environment, or a sandboxed Google environment with the apps you wish to install.
Meaning, your private data remains only between you, and the respective app - not accessed by any third parties.
that is a pretty cool feature
AphyOS strips Google out of Android, leaving you with the choice to make individual agreements with each software company you allow on your device.
Domus and Piazza
The Domus is the secure and private partition of the phone. This is where the Aphy-native apps live. What happens in the Domus, stays in the Domus.
The Piazza is the public area. This is where you can add the Google Play store, use all the Android apps exactly the way they would run on any other Android phone
but with one exception: your usage habits won't be shared and tracked between apps by default. You can also further dial-in more precise security on a per-app basis using The Ledger
Between the Domus and the Piazza, you get the best of both worlds on one device: a highly secure space (with a cool grayscale aesthetic) with the Domus, and an open, unrestricted area for everything else, the Piazza.
The Ledger - Carbon Reduction
It's one thing to care about the environment. It's another thing to take a super intangible idea, like app use on your phone, and figure out how that translates to your carbon footprint. AphyOS makes this easier with its Carbon and Data Ledger.
there is another ledger feature though
The Ledger - Data Privacy
The other part of the Ledger is the Data Privacy dial. On an app-by-app basis, you can review and easily change the privacy settings between you and any app whenever you want.
The range goes from basically no restrictions (lets the app do whatever it wants) to so many restrictions the app might not work. It gives you the ability to find that Goldilocks spot where the permissions to privacy is just right.
Security is always a tap away! By default, the three-button navigation bar on AphyOS is enabled. And the middlemost button is the Apostrophy logo. By tapping on this, you're instantly transported back to your private Domus.
This is small, but it speaks to the thought process behind ease of use and access to security. At any time, no matter what app you're in, or what you're doing, you can quickly navigate back to the most secure area on your phone (the Domus) with the tap of a button.
Ultimately, the MC02 isn't about cramming in all the apps. It's about reclaiming control over your digital life. So, can you install apps you really need.
The MC02's Apostrophy OS offers a unique approach: a dedicated app store vetted for privacy
i'd recommend reading more before buying and looking at this handy Q&A page
https://www.punkt.ch/en/support/frequently-asked-questions/apostrophy-with-mc02-os-services-webmail/
@ecksmc
Looks good on paper, but this review finds it lacking in several key areas:
https://www.techradar.com/pro/phone-communications/punkt-mc02-5g-secure-phone-review
The alternative phone mentioned in there looks quite good if you don't mind a bulkier design:
@voltronic yeah on paper
not a big fan of paying for subscription based OS myself
i have read mixed reviews about it also it's a love/hate device for sure
some say they couldn't even use it for a few days to some say they loved it lol
i did look at the Doogee V30 a few days ago
i guess it will be a device that could be interesting for certain groups - companies - orgs etc....over "mainstream consumers"
After finally releasing my death-grip on Blackberry last year, I went for the Gigaset GX6. While it's an android phone, it's still produced in the EU, and I've been happy with it so far. It's a tank, but does everything I want a phone to do, without the problematic excess.
wow that device has a removable battery lol
and i like the two sim card slots as well as a third slot for SD-Card that's neat
usually you get two slots where you can input two sim cards or one sim card and SD-card
i like the three slots 👍
@ecksmc And a headphone jack 😁 Phones pretty much peaked in 2007 for me. 😆
🤣 yeah headphone jack is a must for me also
don't mind bluetoothing my headset when indoors but when outside i plug-in a set
If you tap and hold any app, you will see a pop-up for Ledger. By launching this, Ledger shows you two dials: Data Privacy and Carbon Reduction. From an environmental standpoint, you can choose to dial up or down Carbon Reduction, which will affect background usage of the app (and, proportionately, battery life). A graph at the bottom of the Ledger shows the impact on battery.
main goal is battery life here lol