Hisense A10 keeps the idea of an E Ink smartphone alive

Hisense is bringing E Ink back into the smartphone conversation with the A10, a device aimed at users who value reading comfort and battery endurance more than fast animation or video. E Ink phones remain a tiny niche because the display technology refreshes far more slowly than OLED or LCD, making conventional gaming and video impractical. Their advantages are equally distinctive: excellent sunlight visibility, extremely low energy consumption and a paper-like reading experience.

Hisense has continued experimenting with the format even as most major manufacturers abandoned it. The A10 arrives at a moment when consumers are showing renewed interest in minimalist and distraction-reducing devices. Some users actively want a phone that makes endless video feeds less attractive. That gives E Ink a philosophical selling point in addition to its technical benefits. Hisense is unlikely to challenge Samsung or Apple with the A10, nor does it need to.

The more realistic opportunity is establishing a sustainable specialist category for readers, professionals and users who increasingly see conventional smartphone screens as something they would rather spend less time staring at.