Updates on DAB+ and FM

Unfortunately, the DAB+ module did not make it into the SHIFTphone 8 after all. As already communicated in our SHIFTtalks, the provision of DAB+ and FM was very important to us. However, we have always pointed out that we will only offer the module if we can achieve adequate quality, which is unfortunately not the case. The FM module is in any case available in the SHIFTphone 8, but here too, initial quality tests are not very promising. For both modules, appropriate adapters should therefore be used.

Ben our CTO is currently traveling in China, visiting the SHIFTmanufaktur manufactory and other partners there and taking a close look at the SHIFTphone 8 together with them. You can get a brief insight in this in this YouTube short/a>.

www.shift.eco/einladung-shiftphone8-betaprogramm

At the top of this status page you will find 2 pie charts. The left diagram shows how many people are already part of the SHIFTphone 8 project and have pre-ordered a device. That’s quite a lot! The crowdfunding for the SHIFTphone 8 is already the biggest in our company’s history. We are grateful that so many people are supporting us and placing their trust in us. The second diagram shows how many devices are still available at the current price level.

At the beginning of our crowdfunding, only the SHIFTphone 8 could be pre-ordered directly. Over time, however, various upgrade variants were added, such as an upgrade from SHIFT5me or SHIFT6m to the SHIFTphone 8 or our SHIFT6mq +Upgrade. These upgrade pre-orders have not yet been included in the pre-orders shown in the pie chart on the left, but we have now adjusted this.

• As with all our products, the SHIFTphone 8 is guaranteed for 2 years from the date of delivery. This does not include the accessories of your SHIFTphone 8 (screen protector, bumper, USB-C cable and USB-A adapter). This warranty does not expire if you install a different operating system or if the device is repaired. Please also refer to our warranty conditions.
• The warranty on our universal battery used in the SHIFTphone 8 is 12 months..
• 5-year repair guarantee on the SHIFTphone 8 from the date of delivery! This promise means that we can still guarantee the repair of your SHIFTphone 8 5 years after purchase. It does not mean that we will cover the costs of the repair. For example, if your device suffers display damage after 5 years, we only guarantee that we will be able to replace the display. However, you will be responsible for the costs of this yourself.
• Our software promise: We promise you software updates for the SHIFTphone 8 until at least 2032, including regular patch level updates and security fixes. According to the processor we have chosen, we are guaranteed major updates up to Android 16 by the chip manufacturer (Qualcomm). We are therefore happy to pass on Android 16 for the SHIFTphone 8 to you as a guarantee. Of course, we would also like to enable further Android versions (17, 18, 19). Here too, we promise to do our utmost to provide newer versions, but whether this will be feasible depends on further support from the chip manufacturer and other factors that we cannot yet see. In addition, we will probably not take every major update with us. So it could well be that we jump directly from Android 14 to Android 16, for example, and then skip Android 17 before we get to Android 18.

You would probably have preferred to read something else at this point. But – as already explained in detail in SHIFTtalk – our main focus in SHIFTphone 8 development is on the final quality and the desire for the end product to meet both your and our expectations. We therefore consider it reasonable and sustainable to accept minor delays if we can significantly improve the quality of the device. Of course, even the smallest delay is not easy for us, which is why you can be sure that every delay is carefully considered. It is also important to us to inform you of any changes in good time. So let’s just make something really good out of it!

Upgrade to 512 GB internal storage for a fee!
We have decided to offer the SHIFTphone 8 – in addition to the 256 GB version – also in a version with 512 GB internal storage. As it is important to us to take responsibility, all people who have already pre-ordered the SHIFTphone 8 will automatically receive an upgrade to the 512 GB version as a gift from us. For a few days, the SHIFTphone 8 with 512 GB can be ordered at the current pre-order price. We will adjust the SHIFTphone 8 in the shop from 21 February. For future pre-orders, you will then have to decide in advance whether you want the 256 GB or 512 GB version.

Savings of 78 EUR when ordering now!
After the changeover on 21 February, the surcharge for the 512 GB variant will cost EUR 56. In addition, when the 3,333 pre-orders are reached and the RAM is increased to 12 GB, the final price will be increased by a further EUR 22 for both variants. This means a saving of EUR 78 for pre-orders placed before 21 February.

The main board and housing design have now been finalised. Hardware integration, focussing on camera integration and audio engineering, is currently in full swing, as is the implementation of the initial software. In this step, we are carrying out the preparatory work for the first validation prototypes. These should be optimally equipped and prepared in terms of both hardware and software so that they can then be tested in detail and further optimised.

We are therefore in the status of a design freeze. The CPU, memory, antennas, sensors, connectors and many other components are in their final position. This does not mean that there will be no more changes in the future, but it does represent an important milestone.

Irrespective of this, further fine-tuning work is taking place. Despite the design freeze, we are still able to push ahead with audio engineering, for example. Speaker housings, audio routing, sound measurement, curves, validation boards, tuning, noise cancelling, echo and many other exciting things are currently happening here. The situation is similar in the area of camera integration. Here, the cooperation between the two cameras is being optimised and the development of the camera app is progressing. The basic hardware functions are being implemented first, which will then be used to realise auto focus, auto white balancing, night mode and many other features.

When is the SHIFTphone 8 coming?

In the video, Carsten discusses a possible delay in the SHIFTphone 8 project. The reason for this he cites, among other things: the complexity of the 5G issue, which cost us more time than originally planned. This delays the production of the first test devices (DVT1 devices), which we would like to use at the end of the year for the announced BETA program would have. At the moment it is not yet clear whether we will reach this milestone before the Chinese New Year festivities and therefore we cannot currently schedule the final delivery. We last mentioned the end of Q1 (March 2024) as the date on which the SHIFTphone 8 would be with you. According to the current status, we assume

Meanwhile, we are already celebrating the next announcement!

Due to the fact that the SHIFTphone 8 is already so popular, plus the numerous pre-orders, new options are constantly opening up for us. By purchasing or producing larger quantities, we can save costs that we can channel into more powerful and larger modules. As we did with the internal memory in one of the first funding targets, we are now increasing the RAM from the originally announced 8 GB to 12 GB. This requires the new funding target to be reached, which we have set at 3333 pre-ordered devices.

Only 555 SHIFTphone 8 still missing? Just a little something for you 😉 Rührt noch mal kräftig die Werbetrommel und berichtet gerne Freunden und Kollegen von unserem gemeinsamen Smartphone-Projekt.

The display is the most striking component of a smartphone. It is the window for all content and the interface through which we interact with the device. The display turns the built-in components inside out: it shows how smoothly the animations run, how well the chipset works and lets us judge the quality of the camera and our photos.

Time, brainpower and many discussions with partners and manufacturers went into finding the best possible display for our SHIFTphone 8. And it was worth it! While the first SHIFTphone 8 renderings showed thicker display edges and a waterdrop notch for the camera, we can now realise a display with smaller side edges, i.e. more active area and a punch hole for the camera. Just like the originally planned display, this will also continue to be based on energy-efficient AMOLED technology.

We can already reveal the following technical details about the display:

• Display size: 6,54 Zoll Full HD+ AMOLED
• Resolution: 1080 x 2400 Pixel
• Aspect ratio: 20:9
• Colour gamut: 16.7 Millionen coloures
• Contrast ratio: 5.000.000:1

The refresh rate is still open. 90 Hz is set as the minimum. However, the target is 120 Hz.

A few days ago it was that time again. More than 100 people came together for a SHIFTtalk and, as always, we had a great time with you. We are very happy and grateful for the appreciative exchange, your good and helpful impulses and your understanding when changes or delays occur. At the same time, we are happy together with you that we were able to incorporate improvements into SHIFTphone 8. We have provided you with the entire recording above in the field SHIFTtalk. Alternatively, you can of course also find them on our YouTube-Kanal.

The most important updates in quick check:

Change of partner: We have developed and prepared many things together with various partners over the past months. A few weeks ago, delays in the project occurred due to a newer partner who was mainly responsible for the development of the motherboard of the SHIFTphone 8. We realised that this partner still had deficits in terms of experience and quality. At the same time, the option opened up to switch to a partner we already knew for the development of the circuit board. This opened up new possibilities that will make the SHIFTphone 8 even better. Especially in the areas of display, antenna design, camera and motherboard, which will meet our expectations as well as your feedback and will have a positive effect on the coming development steps and the quality of the device. From Minute 6 sowie Minute 12 in the video you will find Carsten’s detailed explanation of changing partners.

Display: Due to the change of partners mentioned above, we were able to switch from the originally planned waterdrop display design to a punchhole layout, which also manages thinner edges and is more robust. (from Minute 9)

Kill-Switches: In the interest of planned water proofness, we will place the kill switches under the back cover and not on the outside of the unit. Our kill switches will only be used for actual hardware-side deactivation. A deactivation of certain functions via kill switch, which ultimately only set a software trigger and do not perform a real hardware cut, is out of the question for us. (from Minute 32)

Timeline: Due to the change of partner and the associated positive changes to the SHIFTphone 8, our schedule will be delayed. The first devices are still expected by the end of 2023, but these will only be used for internal testing purposes. (from Minute 69)

Expected delivery: The target shipping date for the SHIFTphone 8 is end of March 2024. As mentioned in SHIFTtalk, the SHIFTphone 8 is a development project that will only be possible with your support. In the development phase, further delays until April or May are not excluded. Of course, we are doing everything we can to keep the delays to a minimum and ship the SHIFTphone 8 in spring 2024. (from Minute 69)

Beta test programm: In order to keep the delays as short as possible, we are relying on a professional test programme together with our community. More information will follow in November/December.(ab Minute 74)

After reporting on camera development in the last update, we now turn to the topic of audio. We approached the topic with new know-how and accumulated experience from past projects.The latest developments in innovative MEMS technology were promising. MEMS speaker technology is not only characterised by its energy efficiency, but could also offer the potential for significant further development in the audio sector.

After initial tests, however, we came to the conclusion that although this technology is close to a breakthrough, it is not yet ready for the market for free-field applications. Die Forschung in diesem Bereich ist uns unbedingt wichtig und wir beobachten die weiteren Entwicklungen, denn bei der Veröffentlichung neuer Produkte ist es uns wichtig, aus Gründen der Langlebigkeit und Nachhaltigkeit, möglichst die modernste Technologie einzusetzen.

For the SHIFTphone 8, however, we decided to use electrodynamic (ED) speakers. This is the first time we use stereo sound, where speakers (bottomspeakers) and ear speakers (topspeakers) combine the sound to form a harmonious stereo system. Your next multimedia experience on the SHIFTphone 8 will also be a pleasure in the audio sense.

With our audio specialists from our own team and a highly specialised partner, we are currently working on the implementation of the amplifiers. Compared to our previous phones, the top and bottom speakers will each be operated with their own amplifier in order to achieve better performance.

Although smartphones are used for all kinds of applications today – from hotel bookings to navigation to calendars – they are still important tool for our communication. We value direct person-to-person contact. Good microphones that capture what is being said are therefore very important to us. To enable even better speech and recording quality, we are using digital microphones for the SHIFTphone 8, which achieve higher sensitivity. Overall, we are currently very positive about audio development and are convinced that we can take the next steps here.

Recently, it has been a bit quieter here on the status page about the technical development of the SHIFTphone 8. Since many components depend on each other and everything has to be thought of together, it is often easier to wait for certain developments first and then communicate further. So this update will be about the current state of camera development, with other components to follow.

This is an important starting point for us to draw on experience from our previous projects and to exploit potential for improvement. Especially with the camera of the SHIFTphone 8, we put a lot of focus on the development. An important decision regarding the camera hardware was the sensor. After comparing and weighing many different camera sensors, their availability, quality and size, we decided in favour of the very high-quality Sony IMX 766 for the main camera on the back. The IMX 766 enables sharp images with 50 megapixels (MP). Of course, megapixels aren’t everything, but pixel binding makes it possible to take much better pictures in the dark. With so-called pixel binning, 2×2 pixels are combined and can thus absorb significantly more light. Software then saves 12.5 MP sharp photos of your favourite image in your gallery. Taking better pictures in low light conditions was one of the big wishes for the new SHIFTphone. The open aperture of f/1.8 on our main camera additionally ensures better pictures in low light conditions.
In addition, the open aperture creates a beautiful look with depth of field, similar to what we know from SLR cameras. With 50 MP, digital zooming will also be much better in the future. This makes it possible to zoom in closer to an object without much loss of quality. As with the SHIFT6mq, the SHIFTphone 8 will have two cameras on the back of the smartphone.

While with the SHIFT6mq we talked about the second camera as more of an effect camera (responsible for information to calculate depth of field, bokeh, etc. afterwards), the SHFITphone 8 has a complete ultra-wide-angle camera built in. This means that in addition to the functions of the effect camera, even larger viewing angles can be displayed. Where ultra-wide-angle cameras on other smartphones make sacrifices, especially in terms of sensors, we have chosen the Sony IMX 766 sensor for the ultra-wide-angle camera, just as we did for the main camera. The use of the same sensor in both rear cameras enables a nicer and more homogeneous interaction between the ultra-wide-angle and main camera and significantly raises the quality of the second camera.

When choosing the lenses, we made sure that there was hardly any distortion. The field of view of the ultra-wide-angle camera (called Field of View) is reproduced almost distortion-free at approx. 110 degrees.

For the front camera, there are still 2 sensors to choose from, the decision will be made soon. But what we can already tell is that it will be a good 16 MP camera that delivers optimal 16 MP images even without pixel binding. It is planned that the front camera of the SHIFTphone 8 will also be compatible with the SHIFT6mq. In addition to upgrading the SHIFT6mq, this will allow us to keep the front camera available for both devices for a very long time.

The perfect subject in front of your eyes and yet the picture is blurred. That’s why today, in addition to digital post-processing, there are also additional image stabilisers. Of course, this powerful hardware not only enables good pictures, but also videos in 4K with at least 30 FPS.

In addition to the camera hardware just described, the camera software is also becoming increasingly important. Here, too, we are investing more resources and have brought additional partners on board.

Our SHIFTphone 8 crowdfunding has been running for more than half a year now. A lot has happened in that time. Together with you, we reached our first and for us most important goal, the funding threshold, after less than a month and thus ensured the realization of the SHIFTphone 8.

Thanks to further pre-orders, we were also able to achieve the subsequent funding goals. The goodies that we link to the funding goals are both a thank you for your trust and an incentive to attract new prospects. It is only thanks to your support for this project that we are able to develop devices according to our ideas, but also according to your ideas, without investors and their profit expectations.

So time for a new find target: If we exceed the number of 2777 pre-ordered devices, all people who have pre-ordered a SHIFTphone 8 by this time will receive a voucher for a 15% discount on our shop range.

The voucher will be sent immediately after reaching the funding goal and is valid until you receive your SHIFTphone 8. With the voucher in hand, you can immediately search for exciting products in our shop or simply wait until your SHIFTphone 8 is with you to then order suitable accessories for your SHIFTphone 8. The minimum order value for the voucher is 30 EUR. Exceptions are pre-order products and SHIFTbook or SHIFTbook Bundle.

Our summer festival is an opportunity to experience SHIFT and take a look behind the scenes. This also applies to the SHIFTphone 8.
At this event you can meet the people behind the development of the project and have a conversation with them.
Another opportunity is the SHIFTtalk, which will take place as an offline version. Among other topics that move us at SHIFT, the SHIFTphone 8 project will also have its place. So you can look forward to what Carsten and the team have to tell you.
With this in mind, we would like to extend a very warm invitation once again! More information about the summer festival can be found here.

Personal contact with the people in our community is extremely important to us, and that’s why we’re looking forward to seeing everyone who comes. But we are also aware that not everyone has the opportunity to just come. That’s why we will record the SHIFTtalk at the summer festival and make a summary available here afterwards.

And BAMM! Only a few days extension to the originally planned date (May 5th) were necessary to break the sound barrier of 1777 devices. Means: You did it! 256 GB of internal memory for the SHIFTphone 8 are set.

While the current price level of the SHIFTphone 8 has climbed to €485 (plus €22 deposit), we’re scratching our heads for another funding goal in order to make the SHIFTphone 8 even more sustainable together with you and as a thank you for your great support can.

May 5th has passed and we’ve just missed our funding goal of 1777 pre-orders. But don’t worry: there is still hope for a SHIFTphone 8 with 256 GB internal memory! Because: The SHIFT community is growing every day and so is the number of people who trust us for this unique project. This is incredibly strong for us. Thanks for that!

That’s why we’re extending the target date for the planned 1777 pre-orders by another week. Until May 15, 2023 you still have the chance to crack the funding goal. Share the info with family and friends. With your tailwind, we will reach this goal in a few days. 🙂

Yesterday’s SHIFTtalk was once again a great experience. Thank you for your questions, your answers, your cheering, helping to shape and the numerous and appreciative feedback. 🙂

At the same time, the contingent of 111 devices for €470 was used up. We are starting the next pre-order level, in which you can pre-order 111 devices at a price of €475 plus deposit.

Our second SHIFTtalk will take place in just under a week. We’re excited to share what’s happened since the last SHIFTtalk in this interactive format. But your input should not be neglected either. Not only does our LIVEstream live from it, but the entire SHIFTphone 8 crowdfunding project. That’s why two forms are available until Sunday:

EDIT on 4/17/23: In order to have enough time to evaluate your submissions before our SHIFTtalk, the forms were deactivated today.

The usual SHIFTtalk form, where you can already submit your question for our joint event, and the SHIFTphone 8 survey. In this survey, we ask you three very specific questions that directly affect how we approach the development process and help us make good decisions that meet your needs. Thank you to everyone who has already filled out both forms!

Since the beginning of last week we have reached a new price level in which a further 133 devices can be pre-ordered for €470 (plus deposit).

At the start of the new week, all 111 devices were pre-ordered for €460 plus deposit.
In the new price level, 122 devices are available for €465 plus deposit.
We are currently preparing a new SHIFTtalk, for which there will be more information shortly. If you don’t want to miss anything, please subscribe to our SHIFTphone 8 newsletter at: www.shift.eco/newsletter-signup

April 4th, 2023 was the target date for the funding threshold. The date that decides whether we build the SHIFTphone 8 or not.
Of course we wished that it would go faster and that we could get off to a flying start with our community behind us. In January we would not have dared to think that we have already reached our second funding target at the beginning of March and that orders are now in the four-digit range.
As promised, each of the 1111 pre-orders (pre-orders until March 8th, 2023 at 2 p.m.) now comes with the USB-C aux adapter free of charge.
Now we want to reach 1777 pre-orders together to make the latest SHIFTphone even more future-proof!
If we achieve this second funding goal together with you, it will be worth it for everyone. If we reach 1777 pre-orders by May 5th, 2023, we can plan with a larger production of the SHIFTphone 8 thanks to your support. This gives us the opportunity to increase the standard internal storage from 128 GB to 256 GB at no additional cost (this applies to all orders).
With the reaching of 1111 pre-orders comes a new price level. The next 111 devices are available for €460 plus device deposit.

Encouraged by the inspiring feedback and continued support from our community, we have been finalising more and more details and specifications over the last few weeks. When we make final decisions on individual components, we will update the published specifications.
Meanwhile, we have well over 900 pre-ordered devices and have reached the next funding level of 455 € (plus device deposit). At this stage, 155 devices are available.
When these additional pre-orders are completed, the funding goal will be reached with an overwhelming 1111 orders and everyone who has pre-ordered by then will benefit from our USB-C Aux Adapter.

Inspired and encouraged, we look back on yesterday’s SHIFTtalk. Thanks to everyone who participated! We were very happy about the exchange with you and hope that we were able to give you a good insight and answer many questions. Thank you also for the many positive feedback and appreciative comments, which give us a lot of strength for everything that is to come. Here are a few extra great examples:

• Thanks a lot. I think your work is really great and just awesome. I am very, very happy with my SHIFT6mq and am really looking forward to the Shift 8!
• This will be my first Shiftphone and I’m glad I ordered it – you guys are a super cool team!
• As transparent as you are … mega … most of them CANNOT do it.
• Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your loving answers in the LIVEstream.
• I think it’s great that you really take the users with you into your considerations!!! And that you also take the time for new developments! Keep it up!! Great!!!

As written yesterday, the new pre-order phase has been in effect since today, in which the price for the next 111 devices is €444 (plus deposit). With a lot of tailwind from the SHIFTtalk yesterday, we look positively into the future and look forward to every further order!

The planned 123 devices at a price of €433 plus a €22 device deposit are already sold out again.
However, we are extending this pre-order phase until today after the SHIFTtalk at midnight.

What this project means to us, Carsten and Samuel talk about today in the brother talk on YouTube. A lot has happened since the start of the project and thanks to you we have even reached the funding threshold. If you haven’t seen the brother talk yet and would like to hear Carsten and Samuel talk about the SHIFTphone 8, this link will take you there. Otherwise, of course, we also recommend the first SHIFTtalk today, to which we have already cordially invited you.

Together we have reached the funding threshold of 555 pre-orders. We are so grateful that we also got off to a successful start with this crowdfunding. The SHIFTphone 8 will now become a reality!

But that’s not the end of it!

Only a handful of pre-orders are missing to reach our first funding goal. We’re keeping our fingers crossed that we’ll break 555 over the weekend.

The fact that we are making such good progress with our crowdfunding also means that of the 444 devices for €444 (incl. deposit) pre-order price, only 26 devices are currently available before the price goes up. So it pays to be quick.

Reason enough to prepare our first SHIFTtalk. All information about when, where, with whom, … can be found on this page in the SHIFTtalk area.

We are currently heading towards Chinese New Year. The time around these holidays is vacation time in China and a lot of things stand still. Before we say goodbye to our Chinese friends and partners for this well-deserved break, we would like to get as much things off the ground as possible, which we will keep you up to date on here.

Until then, we look forward to every further order and will update the counter continuously.

After less than half an hour, all Super Early Bird and Early Bird devices were sold out. 132 pre-sales in less than 30 minutes. We sit speechless at our computers and try to process the last few hours. What a great community you are and what a strong start for our new development project is that? Thank you for so much trust, so much love, so much support! Breaking new ground only makes us so happy because you are there.

For the next 444 devices, we set the pre-order price at €444. The task now is to break the funding threshold of a total of 555 devices by April 4, 2023. Let’s go!

A new SHIFTphone is being launched and on this page you can follow the progress of the project almost live. In this first funding phase, we will provide you with some key data on the new SHIFTphone 8 (see above). The waterproofness despite the modular design and the proven kill switches in the SHIFT13mi stand out here.

We will publish more information in February. Check back often for more detailed renderings, impressions and specs!

The alternative is therefore a Bluetooth connection or an audio adapter that can be used to ensure the wired connection to the headphones via the USB-C port.