Punkt. unveils MC03, its latest smartphone designed to give users full control over personal data, privacy, and device usage.
Made in Europe, the MC03 has an updated and more sustainable design and evolved features, with security and privacy at its heart.
2 January 2026, Lugano, Switzerland / CES, Las Vegas. Punkt. , the Swiss-based pioneer of beautifully designed, minimalist smartphones that give users privacy without friction, will be present at CES with its latest model, the MC03. This unique device, powered by AphyOS and housed within a German-built precision handset, follows through on Punkt.’s well known commitment to intentional tech use and data ownership.
Like its forerunner, the MC02, the new model is a subscription-based smartphone that offers users the tools and apps that are most important to them in an environment where they control access to their data and usage.
Using the Punkt. MC03, users can put privacy first with two defined repositories for depositing data. The first is named Vault, a protected enclave containing only trusted, Punkt.-approved apps and offering maximum privacy by default with a calm, design-focused user interface. The second, termed Wild Web, provides the freedom to install any app, but with strict, visible safeguards that allow easy privacy controls and can prevent data triangulation and unauthorized data flows.
“Privacy is being sought by people more than ever before, particularly as we enter the age of AI,” said Petter Neby, Founder and CEO at Punkt. “They are stressed and overwhelmed by the determination of Big Tech to track and monetise their every online movement. Punkt. offers them a solution – a modern, premium device without the need to compromise on their privacy.”
The MC03 features a new look and feel to its operating system allowing users to stay laser-focused on getting the best experience. AphyOS cuts out tracking and profiling technology, bloatware, hidden apps and unwieldy background services. It eliminates spying and runs hardened code to block attacks, assisted by a bank-grade Secure Element.
With the MC03, Punkt. is building a secure smartphone ecosystem where privacy is not an add-on, but the default. Supported by trusted partners such as Threema and, new for MC03, Proton, these services feature in the device’s Vault space.
Trusted services including Proton Mail, Proton Calendar, Proton Drive, Proton VPN and Proton Pass are available in an environment designed to minimize data exposure and tracking.
Punkt. and Proton are ideal partners, both leading within the Swiss Tech movement (with Swiss Tech you pay to retain your data, with Big Tech you pay with your data), operating independently and built around the principle that users, not platforms, control their own data.
Andy Yen, Founder and CEO of Proton said, “People deserve choice. Choice over the phone they use, the software they rely on and who they share their data with. By working with likeminded companies like Punkt., we can give users more ways to regain control of their privacy.”
Among other features of the MC03:
The App Hub
Two app stores are available:
- A curated privacy-friendly store vetted by AphyOS and Punkt.
- Access to all widely available apps, activated only when chosen by the user.
Premium Hardware
Manufactured at the Gigaset facility in Germany, the device delivers cutting-edge engineering for quality, security, repairability and sustainability, including:
- 120Hz OLED HDR display
- Removable 5200mAh battery
- IP68 water and dust resistance
- 64MP main camera
Digital Nomad
The MC03 retains its built-in VPN, Digital Nomad, protecting connectivity and privacy wherever users are.
Ledger
Users control app-specific privacy, from full access to full restriction. Ledger also includes a Carbon Reduction feature, giving insights into the energy impact of installed apps and control over background activity.
“The MC03 builds on the success of the MC02 in privacy, control and security,” continued Petter Neby. “It delivers modern features with simplicity and minimal distraction.”
The Punkt. MC03 is priced at CHF / $ / €699.
If you don’t pay for a product, you are the product. With MC03, you pay to retain your data rather than paying with it.
A 12-month subscription to AphyOS from Apostrophy is included. After that, continuation requires a paid subscription:
Monthly at CHF / $ / €9.99
Subscription bundles are available, including a 3-year subscription at 45% discount and a 5-year subscription at 60% discount.
The MC03 is available to pre-order now, with deliveries in Europe at the end of January and North America from Spring 2026.
Images available for download here.
Read the original article
Comments
I really loved the previous design with the physical numpad and it seems they've opened up the platform to support more applications beyond a few blessed ones (like Signal in the past).
Really put off by this though:
> If you don’t pay for a product, you are the product. With MC03, you pay to retain your data rather than paying with it.
So you have to pay >$100/year to maintain access to your device? Why do I need to pay to retain data that is on my own device?
I'm not saying that I'm approving this company or their products, but I can definitely get behind the idea of paying for OS updates.
Part of the premium we pay for an iPhone or a Mac is to finance the development of iOS/MacOS. We get the updates for "free" but we actually already paid them when we paid the device.
Meanwhile, here it's clear: you pay the device, and then you pay for the OS.
The opposite being the product like with Microsoft/Google.
Or relying on the goodwill of other people (FOSS).
If I take the example of Kagi, I saw how much impact as a customer I have/had on the product.
Meanwhile Microsoft/Google/Apple don't care.
And on FOSS I could _just_ do the things myself, but I'm not an OS dev and I already spend some time on other FOSS projects (I'm writing this message on an Linux computer). Donations are great but they are not reliable/predictable and they don't give you more power to influence the product.
Regarding your question "Why do I need to pay to retain data that is on my own device?", according to their FAQ: "Without an active subscription, certain core services and privacy features will be limited. To keep your MC03 fully functional, secure, and up to date, an active subscription is required." https://www.punkt.ch/products/mc03-premium-secure-smartphone
So the phone won't brick itself and you won't lose access to your data.
But the company itself give me a bad feeling, like Proton, trying to surf the hype and doing lots of virtue signaling.
>I'm not saying that I'm approving this company or their products, but I can definitely get behind the idea of paying for OS updates.
>[...]
>The opposite being the product like with Microsoft/Google.
But Microsoft does offer that, it's called ESU for windows. The problem I suspect is that the cost of maintaining security patches is fixed, and nobody (relatively speaking) wants to pay for it, so other companies like Apple doesn't even bother.
That's all fine but Microsoft is also screenshotting everything, uploading it, then selling you services, pushing ads, mining and training on your data and who knows what else. So you pay both ways.
By dangus 2026-01-0318:07 This statement is wild hyperbole and doesn’t represent the privacy landscape of a default Windows 11 install. Even Windows Recall, an optional opt-in beta product only available on specific hardware, very clearly and specifically in its legally binding privacy policy says that data never leaves your device and is never sent to Microsoft.
Windows is paid for by OEMs. It doesn’t cost much (and it’s free for some classes of devices) but Microsoft still gets paid for it.
Don’t forget they also get paid for a lot of Windows-adjacent services. 365 subscriptions, Bing users clicking on ads, and the whole business ecosystem of Azure, Entra ID, Microsoft Exchange/Outlook 365, etc.
By dangus 2026-01-0317:57 It’s a stupid business model for this product category and shows their leadership doesn’t understand the market.
If you buy a Pixel and flash GrapheneOS, you’re getting a better secured phone, better phone hardware, and for less money if you shop smart.
The only reason you’d buy this product over that solution is that you literally don’t know any better.
If they want to monetize their OS they should just do what every other phone manufacturer does and sell optional but integrated services.
There’s no need to push them as mandatory because a lot of people will end up with them anyway (e.g., iCloud+, Samsung whatever, and Google One).
> I can definitely get behind the idea of paying for OS updates.
From consumer App Store pricing expectations to the notion that FOSS be offered at no cost, expecting everything to be free has damaged small software for decades.
There is no other way to support software. You have to pay for it.
Even with this, it still won't be able to compete with the big guys and their enormous ad funnels. But it's better than forcing them to be anemic and sustain themselves with nothing at all.
We have to pay to maintain the things we want.
By hulitu 2026-01-088:06 > There is no other way to support software. You have to pay for it.
I paid when i bought it. And i am expecting to work as intended. I do not need another one every second week ( feature updates) but i expect that they fix it when it is defective ( security updates). Yes, i know, this is not cool, JPEG standard changes regularly and today the scrollbar is obsolete, that's why we need "updates".
> I really loved the previous design with the physical numpad
That's their MP02, different product line, which is pretty much just talk and text plus Signal ("Pigeon" on the MP02): https://www.punkt.ch/products/mp02-4g-minimalist-phone
I recommend the MP02, with one caveat: don't buy it right now. Because there have historically been problems with Pigeon, you really ought to use Signal for Desktop at the same time as Pigeon, in case Pigeon starts having problems. But as of now you can't you can't connect the two (though Signal for Desktop keeps working fine if you already have them synced).
I've found the call quality and reliability on the MP02 to be great after a year of use.
[Edited to add: MP02 doesn't require a subscription.]
ive been watching the developments of sidephone closely. ive long sought the perfect dumb-ish phone and they just dont exist, the sidephone isn't perfect either but if it delivers it could be much closer. there's pieces of it im not a fan of: closed source OS (for now) and no word on if there will at least be like SDK's to build out things for it.
the biggest leap forward in smart phones to me was personally in-hand GPS navigation. that was a game changer. I really _don't_ need to be even opening internet browsers for anything. T9 phone with a week of battery life, the ability to play some mp3's and GPS navigation and.. sigh I guess some way for me to issue MFA for okta/entraid/whatever since that's so ubiquitous with workplace security now... and I'd be set.
it's wild how advanced the likes of hardware companies were over a decade ago at making miniature hardware. the last generation ipod nano (7th I think?) was this tiny touch screen device and when I hold it in my hand today it feels ... actually magic. seriously it feels mind blowing, state of the art with how small and responsive it is. like that kind of miniaturization doesn't seem to exist anymore & it's something only the hardware giants at scale seemed to be able to do since they had supply chain connections and R&D warchests to blow on designing custom components. A lot of these dumb phones rely on generalist components I think and they aren't bankrolled with bajillions of dollars to get new R&D going and tooling online to really put an impressive device together, I just never see it in these "disconnect but stay just connected enough" dumb-phones that are trying to offer an exit from the noise of modern smart phones.
i'd absolutely cherish something that had the form of the nokia xpress music 5310 https://news.softpedia.com/images/extra/MOBILE/large/Nokia_5... with gps navigation, the ability to play music, and workplace MFA capability.
that's it, i've thought about it and i seriously don't need anything else. yeah whatsapp and spotify are super ubiquitous these days but they're literally not required to get in touch with me. and for spotify, i finally did do that whole "nerd mods an ipod 15 years later thing" and it taught me something that i needed to know about myself: ADHD + spotify = bad. my last decades playlists are a mess, i listen to music _less_ because it's just an onslaught of new stuff and access to everything. something about having a collection of music i actually took time to curate into playlists..i know what's in there i know what i can listen to. it's somewhere between meditative (which is good for me) and very intentional. acquiring new music is now also very intentional, getting it onto my device is intentional. its slower, less convenient, and somehow it makes me enjoy the music experience a lot more. im listening to more music now in a way that I haven't since I was sitting on a schoolbus next to my crush and sharing a headphone with her.
all in all I've seen a few of these "dumb phones, no distraction" device manufs now like punkt here start off with a cool design and eventually just cave and fold to some full screen touch design. to me that just nixes a lot of checkboxes for me: more screen = undoubtedly more distractions and ways to be connected, i miss buttons, i just... don't want a big phone. ever. i want to be intentional about my connectivity, and that means if i need the internet i need to just go hop on my computer. if im itching to know something and im standing in an elevator or standing on a subway, i actually don't want to be able to pull my phone out and have the immediacy of an answer. i want to stay bored in my head, work on the skill of "this is important i hope i come back to it lets index that thought and come back to it later", and just learn to live with being in my own head without the constant need to have an answer or scratch a dopamine itch immediately. there's something ive completely lost over the years, basically that ability to imagine spiderman swinging from the powerlines when i was a kid looking out the window of my parents car. whatever _that_ is, i think that came with a lot of core benefits for my brain activity that generally allowed me to have a more meaningful and happier life.
By uxcolumbo 2026-01-030:50 Yes to cancelling Spotify and intentionally creating playlists from your carefully curated music. Or just listening to good old albums.
Being able to be alone with our thoughts and let our mind wander and not having to pull out our phone is a good skill to practise.
But a phone with a map and gps is quite useful.
By sallveburrpi 2026-01-0221:532 reply People really pay 300+ € for a phone; it’s crazy to me.
I still have some ancient (pre-smartphone) phones lying around, they work just fine and do the same thing. To be fair they don’t come with Signal but then again that doesn’t seem to work well. Only real argument would be the battery - but the last time I tested one of my old burner phones the battery still lasted for about 5 days (crazy right…)
By DrewADesign 2026-01-0222:53 To be fair, your old feature phones don’t do the same thing as a modern smart phone— you just aren’t interested in doing things they aren’t capable of. I have very different use cases.
By smallerize 2026-01-031:02 None of my old phones works since the networks turned off 3G.
By al_borland 2026-01-033:35 They should really just bake this into the price of the phone. Charge more up front and then offer “free” updates while also respecting users and their data.
By andoando 2026-01-0222:11 What I don't get about this devices is the insane price tag. Seems absurd to pay just as much for these things as an Iphone.
By observationist 2026-01-0219:283 reply Yeah, this is the opposite of being your device. This is pretending to own a device as a service.
I'm building a portable pbx on a raspberry pi with some power banks I stick in a backpack and a dual sim 5g unlimited internet hotspot, and switch over to starlink 5g when that happens. I'll throw a media server in there (pirate everything), and use a small portable wireless streaming touchscreen. There are all sorts of useful UI and linux tools that can make it a far better experience than android or phones. If I need a camera, I'll buy a camera. I've got earbuds and bluetooth for peripherals.
2026 is the year I leave "phones" behind - not playing the subscription device game anymore. I left Windows last year. I'll get better service, real control, and no enshittification treadmill.
It's too bad it takes an inordinate amount of tech savvy to break out - Linux is well beyond good enough for grandma or the average user at this point. There's no reason beyond exploitation for profit for the kafkaesque intrusion into people's lives and data. If you've got the capability, break out.
This product is not breaking free. Same walls, different garden.
By fainpul 2026-01-038:49 So you walk around with a backpack instead of a smartphone? :o
By antinomicus 2026-01-0221:05 Re: media server. Yeah. I wish there was an alternative but the modern media landscape is so broken there is no other way to maintain digital copies of your shows and movies, while maintaining your own ability to curate your ow content on a plane that isn’t just another surface for those companies to drive engagement metrics. If you try to escape, you are forced into drm locked down Blu rays or even just shit out of luck in the case of a lot of direct to streaming tv. In which case you have two options, stay on the enshittification treadmill, taking more and more shit from bigass corporations who are actively poisoning the culture, or sail the seas. Or I guess just don’t watch tv. But I like tv.
By Natfan 2026-01-0422:47 tell me more about this wireless touchscreen?
By Aeglaecia 2026-01-0220:48 cosmic levels of spin doctoring , doesn't really give a good gut feeling , especially post anom/operation ironside
By huflungdung 2026-01-032:12 [dead]
By dingnuts 2026-01-0217:34 [dead]
Here's what GrapheneOS said about AphyOS: https://xcancel.com/GrapheneOS/status/1893469596973220188
> They have a fork of an old version of GrapheneOS merged with LineageOS. They heavily marketed it as being based on GrapheneOS, but it's a very outdated version. Their devices don't have remotely comparable privacy, security, usability or app compatibility to official GrapheneOS.
>> They heavily marketed it as being based on GrapheneOS
Claim not found in article. If it was so heavily marketed, that would be in the announcement since they're mentioning other partners (Threema, Proton, the extra app store it ships...), and definitely on the product page (no mention of /graph.*/ there either)
Edit: found the specs button. It says the OS is based on AOSP (Android open source project)
By Sayrus 2026-01-0217:24 Searching for "site:punkt.ch grapheneos" returns results that don't exist anymore. Articles are linked in the thread which supports this as well.
> They repeatedly said they forked it from GrapheneOS in their media interviews and marketing. They didn't keep following along with our improvements and have shifted away from presenting it that way, partly because we requested it.
And that also matches what is claimed here, they used to market based on this, they don't anymore.
> What happens if I cancel my subscription?
> You can cancel at any time. Without an active subscription, certain core services and privacy features will be limited. To keep your MC03 fully functional, secure, and up to date, an active subscription is required.
Out of curiosity (I'm definitely NOT going to buy a Phone-as-a-Service), what exactly happens when you cancel your subscription? Does the smartphone brick itself? Does it let you flash a sane operating system that doesn't treat you as a cash cow?
By lproven 2026-01-0311:16 > what exactly happens when you cancel your subscription?
I have the previous model, the MC02. I reviewed it here:
https://www.theregister.com/2024/08/05/mc02_swiss_private_ph...
The sub is for the email account. Cancel the sub, that email stops working. You can still use any other email account and client you wish.
This may no longer be the case -- but that's what I'd expect.
Most people seem to be subscribing to a cell phone already. Not us techies, but most normies seem to have expensive phones on three year ”plans” while locked to an expensive network.
By cmeacham98 2026-01-0217:411 reply Financing a phone is dumb for most people imo, but at least it has an explicit end where you own the phone outright.
This phone requires a subscription in perpetuity, on top of the full purchase price.
By MadnessASAP 2026-01-0322:43 The last couple times I got a new phone the price of the phone + plan without financing for 2 years was greater then plan with 2 years of financing. So yeah, I got the financing.
This was in Canada however.
Yeah I'd never do that. I just buy it outright.
I don't have a cell phone subscription either. I use prepaid which actually is cheaper.
Sometimes prepaid is a bit more expensive because you're paying for 28 days and not a month. You basically have 13 cycles per year instead of 12 (28*13 = 364 days)
By throwup238 2026-01-0220:091 reply I suspect the OP means prepaying for the year. AT&T is like $25/mo for 5GB data + unlimited everything else if you pay upfront for the whole year ($300). Prepaid MVNO plans are even cheaper.
By wolvoleo 2026-01-0221:45 No that's not what I mean. And I'm not in the US. A €20 prepaid data bundle here on orange is much larger than a €20 contract. And the prepay has built in overcharge protection.
By kortilla 2026-01-0219:33 Financing is not a subscription.
By systemtest 2026-01-0219:29 Legal in the EU but the consumer has to be notified about it.
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/PETI-CM-580731...
By Jolter 2026-01-0220:05 Network locks are not illegal AFAIK, but consumers can request an unlock.
