BigMe challenges the telephony market with an unusual hybrid

Chinese manufacturer BigMe continues its ambitious expansion of its e-ink portable devices, which include everything from tablets to digital frames. Their latest project, the HiBreak Dual 2, represents their boldest attempt to reinvent the mobile phone yet. The device directly upgrades its predecessor, but introduces a key change in the philosophy of using two screens.

The main attraction of this hybrid is its display. On the front, there is a 15.57 cm (6.13 inch) E-Ink color display. This is designed for long-term reading of electronic books, viewing documents and writing notes, as it does not tire the eyes and uses extremely little energy. The real surprise, however, is hidden on the back of the device. Where the predecessor only had a small, round 4.7 cm (1.85 inch) display, the new model has a full-size LCD display with a diagonal of 12.7 cm (5 inches).

The user can simply turn the phone over and view photos, browse apps or watch videos on the back in full color and high refresh rate. Digital pen support has also been added, meaning you can draw or write on the electronic screen with a feel that is very close to real paper.

The manufacturer has also made a radical update to the internal components. The old MediaTek Dimensity 1080 processor has been replaced by the significantly more powerful Dimensity 8300 chip, which brings full support for 5G mobile networks. The device runs the latest Android 16 operating system right out of the box, which is a big jump compared to the older version of Android 14 from the previous model.

Early backers can pre-order the phone for around €652 and €717, respectively. When standard Kickstarter prices go live, the Standard Edition will cost around €838, while the Kickstarter Exclusive Edition will cost around €922. You can pre-order the phone here here.

However, since this is a device that is currently still in the fundraising phase on the crowdfunding platform Kickstarter, caution is warranted. Backing such projects always carries certain risks regarding final implementation and delivery times, so buyers should proceed with caution.