Punkt, the Swiss mobile tech company behind several minimalist phones, is back with the MC03, which has been given its big debut at CES 2026.
It follows the beleaguered MC02, a difficult-to-recommend phone that put privacy first by shunning Google and Android and using Apostrophy’s AphyOS instead, but was sadly hard to set up and frustrating to use.
Things have changed for the MC03.
In a conversation with Petter Neby, Punkt’s founder and CEO, along with Chief Product Officer Vico Miniutti and Head of Product Marketing Yanapi Senaud, I got the distinct impression that the MC02 wasn’t representative of the company’s vision.
Neby said:
From the beginning, [the Punkt MC03] has been configured by us, and is how we think that device should be.
Here are five things you need to know about the Punkt MC03, which separate it from the MC02, and why, this time, the phone should be worth considering.
What is the Punkt MC03?
All the specs
Before we get into more detail about what’s new, we should talk about the MC03’s specs.
The phone, which is made in Germany, has a 6.67-inch OLED touchscreen with a 120Hz refresh rate, a 64-megapixel main camera, a 32MP selfie camera, a MediaTek Dimensity 7300 processor with 8GB of RAM, and a removable 5,200mAh battery.
It runs AphyOS, which is made to eliminate tracking, bloatware, profiling, and services running in the background.
Punkt operates a custom app store with apps vetted by the team, and installs trusted apps like Threema (a Signal alternative), the secure messaging app Wire, and Proton’s suite of productivity apps.
All this is presented in a section of the operating system called The Vault, and it’s joined by a separate space called the Wild Web, where you can install apps from the Google Play Store and elsewhere.
The phone is not Google certified, and does not have Google Mobile Services installed.
The Punkt MC03 is available for pre-order in Europe now, and will come to the US in the spring.
It costs $699, which includes a 12-month subscription to AphyOS and all Punkt’s security services. After a year, AphyOS costs $10 per month.
What you really need to know about the phone
Crucial changes inside
The Punkt MC03 isn’t a phone easily summed up with specs, and probably won’t be considered by a spec-fiend anyway.
When I spoke to the team, I wanted to know more about what made the phone special and where improvements had been made over the MC02.
Easier onboarding process
Getting started with the MC02 and AphyOS was a difficult, confusing, and frustrating experience, but everything has apparently changed for the MC03.
Miniutti went through the new system:
It’s a classic onboarding system, where you choose your language, you set the date, and sign the EULA.
At this point, we’ve added an option to install the Play Store, as before it was too complicated.
We’ve also enhanced the Aphy account with more options to manage your subscription, and you can also sign up with a alternative email address so you’re not forced to use an Aphy email.
We’ve taken all that good input from users and we’ve improved the UX as well.
Furthermore, you also get a selection of applications that you can tick if you want to install them on the Vault screen.
We’ve also added a Switch to Punkt application to transfer your Android data to the MC03, and an iOS version will come in a couple of months.
A smooth, fuss-free onboarding process is essential to the success of the MC03, and it sounds like the team has worked hard to simplify it.
A removable battery
Although it’s not a fully repairable phone like the Fairphone 6, the Punkt MC03 has a removable battery, and its inclusion was driven by new European Union regulations.
In 2027, batteries inside portable devices must be removable or replaceable using easily available tools, and the MC03 has been designed to meet this rule.
Punkt confirmed it will make a battery available for purchase, although the price has yet to be finalized, and is also required by law to make it available for at least seven years after the device goes on sale.
It’s a distinct benefit and joins a mandatory five years of software security updates, in addition to AphyOS updates to give the phone real longevity.
New camera hardware
On paper, it seems the MC03’s camera hasn’t changed over the MC02, but this isn’t accurate.
Miniutti confirmed that it’s an all-new 64MP camera sensor, and a new 32MP selfie camera, upgraded from the 24MP camera on the MC02.
More importantly, the software has been overhauled. “We’ve got a better camera application now,” Miniutti continued, adding that it’s working with its supplier to make sure the app also fits in with Punkt’s security requirements.
The MC03 does not support Google Pay, but Punkt has included a secure element inside the phone and is working with Swedish contactless payment service Fidesmo to bring contactless payments to the MC03.
Miniutti explained:
They’ve got quite a big ecosystem in the EU, with 800 banks onboard.
We were hoping to make an announcement at CES regarding that, but we are still working through some features and negotiations around the service and the requirements.
When completed, the service will be activated in a software update.
If you’re concerned about banking apps functioning on a non-GMS phone, the team said it’s a case-by-case basis on which ones operate without GMS, and it’s down to decisions made by the bank itself.
What happens if you don’t pay the subscription?
The Apostrophy software comes with a subscription, which begins a year after buying the phone, unless you choose one of the bundles, which gives you longer access at a discounted rate.
But what happens if you decide not to pay the subscription?
The good news is the phone will still operate. You’ll be able to make calls, use the camera, and use apps downloaded from the Google Play Store, plus receive important security updates.
However, you won’t be able to use key AphyOS security features or special apps, such as the standard VPN or services like contactless payments.
There will be a grace period after the main subscription ends, and you’ll be encouraged to sign up for the software and warned to download data if you don’t.
Standard stuff, but it’s good to know the phone won’t be useless if you decide AphyOS isn’t for you.
Banishing ghosts of the past
A true Punkt phone?
The MC02 had potential, but unless you were extremely dedicated to using a privacy-focused OS and extremely forgiving of its problems, you’d never discover it.
Neby said the MC02 should be thought of almost as a “proof of concept,” and various business-related roadblocks meant the device didn’t really meet Punkt’s high standards.
It was clear that Neby and the team recognized the MC02’s issues, and I got the impression that the MC03 is not only a true Punkt phone, but also the true reflection of Punkt and Apostrophe’s collaboration.
The proof will come after we use the MC03, but it certainly appears Punkt is back on track to deliver the slick, minimalist, and premium phone experience we expect.
When it arrives, it will compete in the US with the Murena Fairphone 6, which comes with privacy-first Murena software installed.
