This Japanese phone the size of a business card counteracts the trend of giant phones

Apple and most of the Android builders making bigger and bigger phones, while Apple is abandoning the small iPhone SE, so it's pretty clear that the smartphone market is heading – at least in the short term. But that does not mean that there are no companies that go against the grain by going smallerno bigger. Earlier this week, we heard that the Palm brand is rebooting with a tiny phone that is not supposed to be your main portable computing device. But this Kyocera phone is even smaller.

The Japanese company has been producing models of unusual phones for years, such as a Nintendo DS dual-screen handset at the beginning of the Android system. The latest experience is the KY-O1L, a phone that would likely fit into one of the credit card slots in your wallet or purse. We said that the Palm phone was "the size of a credit card" and that was true except in depth. This phone is a little closer to this goal in depth. Unfortunately, it only came out in Japan, but it's an interesting concept to see even if you're not in this region.

The KY-O1L has a 2.8-inch ePaper screen – the same technology as some electronic readers. The handset measures only 91mm × 55mm × 5.3mm and weighs 47g. The Palm phone measures 96.6mm × 50.6mm × 7.4mm and a credit card usually has a thickness of 0.76mm. In comparison, the iPhone XS and XS Max measure 143.6 mm × 70.9 mm × 7.7 mm and 157.5 mm × 77.4 mm × 7.7 mm, respectively. The Japanese carrier NTT Docomo, which will release the KY-O1L, says it is the finest smartphone in the world.

"Smartphone" feels a little exaggerated. The KY-O1L does not work on iOS or Android and does not have an application store. There is also no camera. However, it has built-in applications, including a web browser, a calculator and a calendar – so, technically, it's a smartphone. It has a 380mAh battery, which may sound awful, but the ePaper screen should not consume a lot of power, so would not we be surprised if its battery life is good, whatever.

KY-O1L will be launched in Japan on NTT Docomo in late November for a price of ¥ 32,000, or about $ 285 at current exchange rates. Frankly, it's a little pricey for what's included; the Palm phone will have a lot more features for $ 350.

But the design of the KY-O1L shows that it's sometimes not necessary for a phone to be a universal computing device designed to handle every aspect of your life, from health to productivity, to going through the music. Sometimes it can simply act from a phone with a few supplements, as it was the norm it was not so long ago. And there are intriguing concepts to explore if consumers are willing to consider the value proposition narrower.

Kyocera registration image