Will the “mini Kindle” that attaches to your iPhone save us from doomscrolling?

Between notifications, chats, social networks, and endless doomscrolling, much of today’s daily reading happens on a smartphone. However, the phone screen, designed to do everything at once, has never truly been the ideal place for continuous reading. This is part of the reason why e-readers have seen renewed growth in recent years: they promise fewer distractions, better battery life, and a more direct relationship with the text. 

Now, however, this idea is taking an even more extreme – and much more pocketable – form. It is called the Xteink X3, a mini magnetic e-reader designed to snap onto the back of an iPhone, almost like a Magsafe accessory. Measuring little more than a credit card, less than half a centimeter thick, and weighing just 58 grams, it aims to turn any idle moment into an opportunity to read a few pages. 

The device features a 3.7-inch e-ink screen with a density exceeding 250 ppi, a 650 mAh battery promising up to 14 days of autonomy, and supports EPUB, TXT, JPG, and BMP files. Inside is an ESP32 chip, the same platform used in many maker projects and ultra-light devices, while connectivity includes Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and a Pogo Pin magnetic charging system. It comes with a 16 GB microSD and can also be attached to Android smartphones thanks to the magnetic rings included in the box. 

More than just a standard e-reader, however, Xteink seems to belong to a new category of minimalist digital objects: devices that do only one thing and try to do it as simply as possible. There are no apps, notifications, videos, or closed ecosystems. Just books and physical buttons to turn the page. This philosophy is contributing to the project’s success online, where the Chinese startup’s mini e-readers are building a small community of enthusiasts across Reddit, YouTube, and TikTok. 

In recent months, it is primarily the X4 model – a slightly larger version with a 4.3-inch display – that has drawn attention online. Reviews and online discussions describe it as a sort of “anti-smartphone”: a deliberately limited device that tries to bring reading back to a slower, more focused dimension. 

The design inevitably recalls the most essential Kindles, but reduced to an almost absurd scale. And it is precisely this miniaturization that seems to be part of the product’s charm: it fits into any pocket, weighs less than many wallets, and can remain attached to the smartphone without taking up real space. A kind of “iPod of reading” born in the heart of the digital saturation era. 

Naturally, there are evident limitations. The screen is not backlit, there is no touchscreen, and the experience is much more spartan compared to Kindle or Kobo. Some online users complain about a less-than-intuitive setup and immature software, while others see this very austerity as the reason why the device works. 

The Xteink X3 is already available in black and white for approximately 79 dollars, including international shipping to Italy. Beyond the technical specifications, its success likely tells a more interesting story: at a time when the smartphone has become the center of everything, more and more people seem to desire small digital objects that do fewer things, but do them better. 

Opening image: Xteink X4. Courtesy Xteink