Brax Technologies announces Wink modular privacy smartphone

Brax Technologies has opened pre-orders for the Wink, a compact modular smartphone designed with a focus on user privacy and hardware flexibility. The device features a BlackBerry-style design with a 4-inch OLED screen positioned above a full physical QWERTY keyboard. This keyboard module is detachable, allowing users to swap it for a larger battery module currently under development.

The handset runs BraxOS, an open-source, de-Googled Android variant that does not require a Google account, preventing activity tracking for ads and analytics. A key privacy feature is a physical side switch that allows users to manually disable the mobile network, microphones, camera, location, and sensors. Additionally, the device offers an end-to-end encrypted calling and texting service exclusive to Brax hardware.

Technical specifications include a MediaTek MT8875 processor, 8GB of memory, and 128GB of expandable storage. The device supports 5G, LTE, Wi-Fi 6E, and includes a 50-megapixel rear camera, though it lacks a front-facing camera and fingerprint reader. For enhanced security, the Wink can be configured to wipe data following specific triggers, such as a duress password or multiple failed unlock attempts.