Hackaday

A maker known as LuckyBor built a functional 4G smartphone from scratch using an ESP32-S3 microcontroller. The device includes a Simcom A7682E 4G modem for calls and texts, an OV2640 Arducam camera module, a 3.5" touchscreen, and a 3.5mm audio jack. Currently in alpha as a stack of modules, the creator plans to redesign it with a four-layer PCB, add an SD card slot, and open-source both hardware and software. The project stands out as a fully owner-controlled alternative to commercial smartphones, avoiding potentially backdoored hardware.

Neither Android Nor IOS: DIY Smartphone Runs On ESP32!