1. Opposition to Subscription Model
Users widely reject ongoing fees for OS updates on a purchased device, viewing it as "Phone-as-a-Service" rather than ownership.
"€700 for a locked down phone, excluding €10 / month subscription of a locked down OS. No thanks" (hasperdi).
"this is the opposite of being your device. This is pretending to own a device as a service" (observationist).
"You'll own nothing, and rent everything, including your own data" (0manrho).
2. Superior Alternatives Like GrapheneOS
Many recommend GrapheneOS on Pixels as cheaper, more secure, and subscription-free.
"If you buy a Pixel and flash GrapheneOS, you’re getting a better secured phone, better phone hardware, and for less money" (dangus).
"Why this instead of a Pixel 8 or newer running GrapheneOS and no requirement for subscriptions?" (daneel_w).
"It seems like it would be cheaper and more effective to just keep in sync with GrapheneOS rather than maintaining a custom fork" (protimewaster).
3. Disappointment in Design Shift
Critics lament moving from minimalist dumbphones (e.g., physical keys, e-ink) to a generic touchscreen smartphone.
"Huge disappointment that it's just a glass rectangle with a modified OS" (mvkel).
"Punkt is losing the point what made their previous products successful" (zsoltkacsandi).
"they didn't jump on the growing demand for dumbphones. If they had just released an MP03... I would have bought one" (davidhariri).