The company behind high-performance in-ear monitors and the award-winning ActiveBuds has launched its most ambitious product yet: iKKO's MindOne Pro AI smartphone. This ultra-compact Android phone combines built-in AI tools, free global internet access, and a dual operating system – all packed into a body not much bigger than a credit card, and for less than US$400 – while its fundraising campaign is running, anyway.
Measuring 86 x 72 mm (3.39 × 2.83 in) and 8.9 mm (0.35 in) thick, the tiny MindOne Pro easily fits in the palm of your hand or a small pocket. But don’t let its size fool you – it’s a fully functional Android 15 smartphone, complete with a sharp 4.02-inch AMOLED display (as seen with the iKKO ActiveBuds), a rotating 50-MP Sony camera and a surprising amount of performance packed into its slim frame.
Designed for users who want a functional smartphone without the overwhelm, MindOne offers a focused, minimalist experience – a capable unit without the constant pings, scrolls and distractions of the mini-computers most of us have in our hands right now.
At the heart of this is its dual operating system. The MindOne Pro runs both full Android, with all your usual apps and services, and iKKO custom-built, lightweight AI OS, a streamlined second operating system for tasks like translation, transcription, voice-to-text documenting and summaries. In demos, it looks sleek and functional (and you can still run Android apps through it), and it has some handy features like a text translator that appears to perform a whole lot better than Google Lens).
Its 4.02-in square screen is protected by sapphire glass, a supremely scratch-resistant material that outperforms the Gorilla Glass covering most phone faces. The screen features an AMOLED (Active Matrix Organic Light-Emitting Diode) display – a type of OLED tech commonly seen in larger and more advanced display systems – with each pixel lighting up individually, delivering solid blacks and vibrant color without draining the battery.
While iKKO hasn’t revealed the display's resolution, early hands-on use – as well as the AMOLED tech – suggests it offers a crisp, bright display ideal for reading and taking and viewing photos and video, with the screen easy to see in bright sunlight. The single-lens 50-MP camera, decent for high-resolution captures, sits flush against the unit, but can flip up to instantly to switch to selfie/vlogging mode.
One of the standout features is NovaLink, iKKO’s custom vSIM (virtual SIM) system. It provides built-in, SIM-free global internet for AI functions in more than 60 countries (though the countries haven't been listed yet). Essentially, this means you can access tools like Google Maps or translation without a dedicated SIM or having to connect to Wi-Fi or signing up to a local plan – which is very handy, if you've ever tried to use Google Lens to translate signs only to find your eSIM has run out of data and there's no Wi-Fi around. For broader use, vSIM data top-ups are available in more than 140 countries – and there’s also a nano-SIM slot for traditional mobile use.
While the MindOne Pro has a fully functional touchscreen, users wanting more have the option of purchasing the extra Snap-In Expansion Case, which locks on a small keyboard below the phone. This magnetic accessory adds the aforementioned QWERTY keyboard, as well as a DAC, 3.5-mm audio jack and an extra battery – without dramatically increasing the size or weight of the phone.
MindOne Pro also features 4G+ connectivity instead of 5G, in order to preserve battery life and make real-world roaming more viable. Meanwhile, the camera system – which features an impressive sensor, optical image stabilization (OIS) and wide f/1.88 aperture – looks strong on paper, though we’re still waiting on real-world photo samples to make a call on this one.
As for longevity, the MindOne Pro houses a 2,200-mAh battery, which iKKO claims offers up to 16 hours of video playback – and, with the Snap-In Expansion Case, users get an extra 500 mAh. While we're yet to test it, even half that playback time outperforms my iPhone 11 Pro, which is about double the physical size of this device.
And while the phone itself doesn't have any in-built audio jacks besides the one provided by the extension case, wireless connectivity comes via Bluetooth 5.2, and there are built-in stereo speakers. Storage-wise, you get 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage within the hardware, which is also equipped with a USB-C port for charging.
This isn’t a phone trying to compete with the latest Samsung or Apple devices. Instead, the MindOne Pro offers a focused, functional alternative for travelers, creatives and anyone who wants to carry smart tools – rather than distractions – in their pocket. And as the Kickstarter campaign winds down in its final days, you can still pick this up at a heavily discounted price.
Right now, the MindOne Pro (in jet black, pearl white, sky blue or blush pink) is available from $369 ($130, or 26%, off retail price), which gives you the phone and accessories (screen protector, charging cable, manual), a one-year warranty and an option to add the magnetic extension case – choose from five colors – for $79 (RRP $109)
And because the campaign was so successful, all buyers will now score some extra bonuses – four screen protectors and a lanyard-style silicone case. iKKO will be shipping worldwide, with an estimated delivery by December if all goes to plan. There's free standard shipping for most regions.
But like we said, jump on this one – at the time of writing, there's only 34 hours left to get the MindOne Pro at a discount – even though it looks like a solid investment at full price.
Source: Kickstarter
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