Brax launches Wink modular compact phone with detachable QWERTY keyboard and privacy-focused OS

The Brax Wink has a 4-inch OLED touch display, although the exact resolution isn't stated but the spec sheet says it has a high resolution. It is powered by MediaTek's MT8875 4nm processor, which has 4x Arm C1-Pro and 4x Arm C1-Nano CPU cores, and a Mali-G625 MC2 GPU. The phone will be available in a single configuration with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, and there's a microSD card for adding up to an additional 1TB of storage.

The phone has a single 50MP camera on the rear but no front-facing camera. It has dual SIM support (physical SIM + eSIM), and there's a pull-tab on the SIM card tray which eliminates the need for a SIM tray removal tool. Brax says the Wink has support for global LTE and 5G bands, and there's a tool on the manufacturer's website that allows you to check if your local carrier is compatible.

Other features are Bluetooth 5.4, Wi-Fi 6E, a USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C port, an audio jack, and dual speakers. Unfortunately, there's no mention of NFC. The battery capacity of the Brax Wink hasn't been revealed, but based on a product video, users will be able to swap out the keyboard half for a larger battery module, thanks to the phone's modular design. They can also use the Wink without the keyboard.

The removable physical keyboard is touch sensitive, allowing you to scroll and swipe by moving your fingers over the keys. The Wink also has a privacy switch at the top that turns off the microphones and camera when activated, but users can also customize the features it turns off.

The software is the more interesting part of the Brax Wink. For starters, it runs BraxOS which is described as a de-Googled OS without Big Tech built in. Brax says there are no vendor trackers, no ads, and no spying on how a person uses their device. It also promises software updates until 2032. 

In addition, the software has some pretty useful security features such as support for a duress password that wipes the device; a failed-attempt wipe which erases the device after multiple failed unlock attempts in a row; an auto-wipe feature that erases the device if it stays powered-off past a preset window; and a wipe on reboot that erases the device every time you restart it including when the battery is flat or the phone is accidentally rebooted. There's also end-to-end encryption when calling or texting other Brax users, support for changing the IMEI, and the ability to restrict normal calls and SMS.

BraxOS also gives users control over permissions such as the ability to restrict the USB-C port to charging only and the ability to turn off phone sensors such as accelerometer, compass, gyroscope, ambient sensor, and proximity sensor. Another feature is the ability to switch to a focus mode that only has essential tools without access to apps installed from third-party stores.

The Brax Wink is available to pre-order now and there are two batches. Batch 1 buyers get to pay $449 now instead of the full $700 price, and shipping is expected to begin in July 2027. Batch 2 buyers pay a deposit of $30 now and a balance of $520 in July 2027, before their orders ship in September 2027. The phone comes with the QWERTY keyboard, a USB-C cable, and a translucent phone case.

Habeeb Onawole - Tech Writer - 1780 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2023

I love writing about consumer technology and have written thousands of articles that help people make informed decisions or get the best out of their devices. When I am not working, I am catching up on movies and TV shows or logging in hours on my Nintendo Switch or PlayStation.