The Unexpected Truth Behind Rectangles Are Bad - A Mind-Blowing Insight into Revamped Phones: Flashback Part 5

Take a moment to look at your smartphone. What shape is it? Most likely, it's a rectangle with rounded corners. But did you know that there were those who believed there were better, more natural shapes for phones?

In 2015, Monohm introduced the Runcible, an "heirloom smart pocket device" that was both a smartphone and not a smartphone. Its circular shape was impossible to miss.

Runcible Babbage • Runcible Lovelace

The Runcible had a round screen and smoothly curved back, resembling natural objects like a pebble. The choice of materials, including plastic reclaimed from the ocean and sustainable wood, further emphasized the nature theme. The backs were even user-replaceable, allowing for customization.

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Reclaimed and sustainable materials for the Runcible

While smaller than the average phone, the Runcible was too large for the emerging smartwatch market. Instead, it was dubbed a "pocket watch" and could be worn as one with the planned accessories.

Remarkably, in 2015, Monohm emphasized digital well-being, something only recently adopted by major phone manufacturers. The Runcible was designed to minimize distractions and combat addictive online networks.

The Runcible in its natural habitat - nature

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But make no mistake, the Runcible was indeed a phone. It could make calls, send texts, provide navigation with its unique round display, and take circular photos.

The Runcible featured innovative interface ideas. Its touch-sensitive bezel and housing allowed for scrolling and swiping without obstructing the screen.

Speaking of the screen, it sported a 2.5" display with 640 x 640px resolution (256dpi) and Gorilla Glass 3. Notably, it was the world's first round touch display.

Following its introduction in 2015, Monohm turned to IndieGoGo in mid-2016 to fund the production of this unconventional smartphone. However, the fate of the Runcible, what it truly represented, and its ultimate outcome remained to be seen.

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The campaign successfully raised $294,052 from 695 backers. Let's take a look at the pricing below:

Now, let's explore what exactly distinguished the Runcible as a non-smartphone smartphone. Initially, the team intended to use Firefox OS, aligning with their mission to be different from Android. The limited app availability in Firefox OS didn't pose a significant concern as they aimed to minimize digital distractions.

When Monohm encountered chip discontinuation and the demise of Firefox OS, they were forced to reassess their options. As reported by Android Authority, the team chose a highly customized version of Android called "BuniOS."

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BuniOS excluded the Google Play Store due to limitations with round displays. However, it could run apps, including both native APKs and web-based apps. Interestingly, Wear OS, which natively supported round displays, was not considered.

While the software posed challenges, the true difficulty lay in building unique hardware like the Runcible. The project was put on hold as hardware manufacturers prioritized larger orders. Monohm attempted to secure additional funding but was unsuccessful.

The last update on the Runcible came in May of 2019, highlighting the challenges faced by small-scale projects:

Our board maker is charging us almost double their quoted price per board, insisting on this for manufacturing fewer than 3000 boards. It's as expensive to make 1000 boards as it is to make 3000. Unfortunately, our budget only allows for 1000 boards, and despite various strategies, we can't negotiate the price down.

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Since then, there have been no further developments on the Runcible. Any hardware or software advancements would be outdated for a non-smartphone. As with the original chipset, parts become obsolete, necessitating a complete redesign.
Let us know your thoughts on the Runcible. Is a pocket smartwatch/non-smartphone/digital heirloom something you'd love to have?

PS. If you're interested, continue the saga of round phones with the Cyrcle in this video.

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