Google isn’t the only company betting big on AI in its smartphones, and while the recently revealed Pixel 10 lineup looks promising, there’s another AI-powered smartphone that has caught my eye. Meet the iKKO MindOne, a minuscule new smartphone that is currently finishing up a campaign over on Kickstarter.
The device, which the company advertises as being “card-sized,” measures just 86×72mm and is only 8.9mm thick. That’s just 3.39×2.83 inches in size and only 0.35 inches thick. Suffice it to say, this thing is small, even when compared to other small phones like iPhone SE, which Apple has since replaced with the iPhone 16e. If you do want a slightly bigger device, iKKO also offers an accessory called the Snap-in-Case, which you can snap the phone into for access to a full physical QWERTY keyboard and a built-in headphone jack.
According to the company’s Kickstarter page — which is hours from being completed at the time of writing — the AI smartphone is not only powered by Android 15, but it also features a secondary lightweight OS called iKKO AI OS. Even that dual operating system isn’t what makes the iKKO MindOne stand out. What really caught my attention is one of the phone’s biggest selling points: free global internet access.
You’ll still need a phone plan for this card-sized smartphone
Now, I want to caveat that last revelation by saying that the only free internet access you’re getting is for AI-powered services. That lineup includes everything from language translation to live AI help similar to Gemini Live. It’s not quite as exciting as unlimited free internet, but it does mean you’ll never be locked out of using AI that requires online access — at least not in the countries that support it.
At a glance, the smartphone looks about as big as a debit card — or probably closer to a wallet, just based on the comparisons made in a video that the company released. Most of that space is taken up by a 4.02-inch AMOLED Sapphire Glass Display. There’s no ugly camera cutout in this small screen, either, as the camera is actually another part of the phone’s gimmick.
Instead of having both a front-facing and a rear-facing camera, the MindOne instead only has one camera, which can be flipped around. It features a 50MP Sony sensor, which can be locked at any angle as you flip it. iKKO showed off the camera’s capabilities in a YouTube video, and it looks like it delivers some solid results.
Eventually, there will be two models available — the MindOne and the MindOne Pro — though iKKO is only selling the MindOne Pro via Kickstarter at the moment. The base MindOne won’t feature the Sapphire Glass screen, and it won’t come with the free global internet for AI services. But that’s the only difference between the two that I could find.
An AI phone built for focus?
iKKO says that the MindOne is “where focus meets freedom” and that “while most phones fight for your attention, MindOne gives it back.” Based on that, it seems pretty clear that the company is marketing this as a smartphone that also doubles as an AI-powered productivity device.
It’s only equipped with 4G+ capabilities and 8GB of RAM with 256GB of internal storage. It does feature a 2200 mAh battery, and support for a Nano-SIM card that can connect to multiple network carriers, including AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, and more. You can view the current list of specifications on the phone’s Kickstarter page to get a better idea of what iKKO is planning.
Of course, all of the current claims are based on what the company has showcased on its Kickstarter page and in marketing videos. The final product’s exact capabilities could change drastically between now and the device’s estimated shipping date, which is currently December 2025. We won’t know for sure if the device the company is marketing is actually the one it’s selling until people start getting their hands on it. The base MindOne is listed to sell at $389, while the MindOne Pro will cost $499. That said, if you purchase early via Kickstarter, you can save up to $130 with early-bird pricing.
Contributing to Kickstarter campaigns is always a risk, but iKKO does have a proven track record with successful Kickstarter campaigns that have actually shipped the promised devices, having previously launched its ActiveBuds AI earbuds back in 2023.
