Meadow's Minimalist Android Phone Aims to Supplement, Not Replace, Your Smartphone

In a TechCrunch review, the phone handled those tasks. The reviewer used Meadow to call an Uber, stream Apple Music during the ride and enter a concert by showing a ticket barcode on its three-inch, square screen. The barcode worked, and the reviewer did not need to touch an iPhone brought only as a backup.

Meadow runs Android, so it supports apps including Maps, Strava, Uber, Apple Music and Spotify. It also has native apps for the camera, voice memos, notes, text, calling, location sharing and ticket scanning. It supports Bluetooth, and users can connect 3.5mm headphones with a USB-C-to-3.5mm adapter.

The phone cannot make calls or send texts with a user's usual phone number. Owners must set up a new plan through a Meadow subscription, which gives them a separate number to use while on the go.

Narlanka said the company chose a minimal phone because many dumb phones and devices like the Brick tell users to slow down and focus on work. "But the reason we're different is because we're all about getting outside and unplugging and having a sick social life," he said. He added, "I knew there were going to be times where I needed my phone. I didn't want a full replacement."

Narlanka recommends that customers use the iPhone's "driving" focus feature, which by default tells top contacts the user is on the road. He said users can customize the text to say they are out with Meadow, so they may miss group chat chatter but can still be reached urgently. "We're not Luddites that are going to be like, 'Streaming's bad, and this is bad,'" he said. "It's just we don't want social media, browsing and that kind of stuff."

The article ties Meadow to a growing interest in reducing constant connection. It notes that Light Phone asks users to give up their smartphone for a simpler device, Wisephone offers a modern touchscreen with a minimal interface and a few apps, and Commodore Callback is a flip phone with a touchscreen. Meadow takes the middle road by supplementing an existing device.

At the concert the reviewer attended, artist ADÉLA used her manager's phone to publish a celebration post after her debut album hit number four on the Billboard charts. "I have deleted social media because i want to stay sane!" the 22-year-old pop star wrote on Instagram. Several fans recorded the entire show on iPhones, the review said.

The Meadow camera worked well during the day but produced poor pictures at the concert, according to the review. Users can take as many photos and videos as they want, but they can only see them at home through the Meadow app on their main smartphone. Instead of a front-facing camera, Meadow has a tiny mirror beside the camera lens for checking selfies. Screen brightness and battery were not problems, though the display could be too bright in low-lit areas and was always visible outdoors.

In the hand, the small, square device feels unfamiliar but functional, the review said. It is not meant to be used constantly, so it is less comfortable than an iPhone. The reviewer encountered a glitch that showed an Uber ride had not ended for a while after leaving the car; Narlanka said the bug has been fixed.

TechCrunch's review found that, for a user willing to manage a second phone number, Meadow works well as a supplemental device for times when the main smartphone is left behind.