Unihertz Titan 2 – A more critical view

Sometimes it’s hard to get a real impression of a product until you use it properly. I think that’s why when we read or watch reviews online they often completely miss issues that the majority of actual users will experience. In the case of phones until you use a phone as your actual phone, and not just an accessory or a device to tinker with. I mean actually using and relying on it as a primary communication device, no other phone as backup with your SIM card in.

Up until the past few days I’ve never solely used the Titan 2. To be honest I never bought it as a device to replace my phone, I just thought it was a cool device and wanted to back the Kickstarter campaign to ensure a new qwerty phone came to the market. However, after enjoying the phone in my usage and really enjoying the physical keyboard I wanted to try using it as my actual phone. Here’s what I observed:

• First and foremost this device is a really odd size and shape. It’s just not ergonomic. The phone is heavy, has sharp edges, and is extremely wide and thick. The width I understand, they had to incorporate the Blackberry Passport screen, and it’s square so seeing as though they were set on using that display there wasn’t much they could do. On the other hand though I can’t see any excuse for the excessive thickness of this device. The battery is average sized, and aside from the physical keyboard there are no components it has that any other phone doesn’t. I also don’t see a reason for the excess space above the screen. The selfie camera and microphone could’ve been incorporated into a space a quarter of the height. Below (excuse my poor butchery, I’m no graphic designer) I’ve adjusted the size of the Titan 2 to something I’d like to see in the future. I’ve cut the width down by 25% and trimmed down the phones forehead. Unihertz; if you’re reading, please consider something with dimensions like this in the future!

• The square screen. While it’s good for text based work and reading, it’s not much good for anything else. All of the apps and mobile websites are built assuming the device is a vertical rectangle. Things don’t fit well, and the experience becomes clunky when I have to start using mini mode. On the plus side the quality of the LCD panel is excellent. Clarity is great, brightness too and for a 60Hz refresh rate it feels very smooth.
• The included case. I appreciate that one was included, just as I appreciate the screen protectors that were pre-applied. It has to be said though that this case is awful. It has sharp edges which make using the phone uncomfortable, and adds enough thickness to the phone to make it unmanageable. I’ve resorted to now using the phone without a case, and having to deal with the constant attempts of the fingerprint reader when I’m handling the phone.
• The stock launcher. Overall it isn’t terrible, but there are little things missing such as the ability to stop new apps appearing on my home screen, or not being able to make folders in the app drawer.
• The stock keyboard app. Thankfully I’m using Pastiera now so I don’t have to deal with the “Kika” keyboard, but the on screen element due to the lack of a comprehensive set of physical symbol keys is terribly executed and needs an overhaul. I did not purchase a phone with a physical keyboard to have 1/4 of my screen taken up with the on screen keyboard.
• The keyboard. This is a joy to type on. The tactility and weight of the keys is perfect. The size and shape of the buttons mean I get no mis typed letters even typing with the soft part of my thumbs. I’ve managed to get typing at a good speed relatively quickly. The top row is a disaster though. A dedicated home key is missing, and the FN key really isn’t sure what it’s supposed to be. I also feel like putting the shift and alt keys on the top row rather than the bottom was a strange choice to make.
• The cameras. I don’t expect Google Pixel levels of photography from a device like this. However, trying to produce an image that’s even usable on this phones cameras is a challenge. Lighting, colour balance, shutter speed and noise are all dreadful. I haven’t seen cameras this bad since I tried the HMD Pulse for a while.

I really hope that the huge boom of interest in this phone spurs Unihertz to continue down this path of making qwerty phones. There’s clearly a demand for it. If we do see a “Titan 2 Slim” I’d love to see a lot of what I’ve written above resolved.

For me I’d be willing to largely ignore the downsides I’ve listed above if only the cameras were better. Having a young Son there are memories that I want to capture happening regularly and I can’t always have my DSLR at the ready.

This unfortunately meant my SIM card had to come back out of the Titan 2. It will still see regular use in my ownership; I enjoy journaling on this device and organising my life on this device is also a pleasant experience. But it will not get use as my main phone, as much as I wanted it to. The smartphone as we know it is a well established form factor, it’ll take some refinement before a qwerty phone can challenge it.