In a world where smartphones keep getting bigger, heavier, and more feature-stuffed, Unihertz’s Jelly Star comes in with a completely different philosophy: Shrink everything. Keep the power. Make it fun.
The Jelly Star is “The World’s Smallest Android 13 Smartphone” with a compact 3-inch display, eye-catching transparent design, and modern hardware that surprisingly holds its own.
This is a phone that fits in the tiny watch pocket of your jeans yet runs apps, streams videos, takes photos, handles NFC payments, and even controls your appliances via infrared.
A Tiny Phone With a Big Personality
The first thing you’ll notice about the Jelly Star is its transparent back panel—available in blue, red, and now black. Combine that with its dynamic LED lighting which glows, pulses, and reacts to notifications, ringtones, and music and you have a phone that’s a conversation starter.
At just 95.1 × 49.6 × 18.7 mm and 116 g, this device is shockingly small
But small doesn’t necessarily mean weak.
We’re used to small phones being underpowered, but the Jelly Star breaks that stereotype with hardware you’d expect from a mid-range device:
- MediaTek Helio G99, a 6nm octa-core processor
- 8GB RAM
- 256GB UFS 2.2 storage
This is not a toy phone.
It can multitask, run social media apps, play videos smoothly, and even handle light gaming.
Apps launch fast, switching between screens is snappy, and Android 13 feels smooth and responsive.
Pair this efficient 6nm chipset with the 2000 mAh battery, and the result is impressive endurance for such a tiny screen.
You can comfortably use it for a full day without battery anxiety.
A Surprisingly Capable Camera
Let’s be honest, no one buys a 3-inch smartphone to replace their flagship camera—but the Jelly Star still gives you a very respectable setup:
- 48 MP rear camera (Auto-Focus)
- 8 MP front camera
In good lighting, photos are crisp and detailed.
It’s a perfect “backup camera” for quick snaps, or for people who want to travel light. It won’t beat flagships, but it performs far better than your average budget device.
Android 13, NFC, Infrared—Everything You Need in a Mini Form
What makes the Jelly Star even more impressive is the feature set. Unihertz didn’t just shrink a phone; they shrank a full toolkit:
- Android 13 OS
- Google Certification
- NFC for payments
- Dual Nano SIM
- Expandable storage (Micro SD hybrid slot)
- Infrared blaster for remote control
- FM Radio
- USB-C with OTG support
- Fingerprint unlock + Face Unlock
- 3.5mm headphone jack (rare nowadays!)
Plus, it supports global LTE bands, making it usable almost anywhere in the world.
This is a tiny device with big-phone features—and that’s probably its best selling point.
Tech Specs
Basic Information
- Dimensions: 95.1 × 49.6 × 18.7 mm
- Weight: 116 g (with battery)
- CPU: MediaTek Helio G99, Octa-Core 2.0–2.2 GHz
- Operating System: Android 13
- Memory: 8GB RAM + 256GB UFS 2.2 storage
- Battery: 2000 mAh (non-removable)
- Charging: 10W
- SIM Card: Dual Nano SIM
- Micro SD: Supported
- Card Slot: SIM 1 + Hybrid slot (SIM or Micro SD)
Display
- Material: LCD
- Size: 3.0 inches
- Resolution: 480 × 854 pixels
Camera
- Rear Camera: 48 MP Auto-Focus
- Front Camera: 8 MP Fixed-Focus
Connectivity
Network Bands:
- 2G GSM: 2 / 3 / 5 / 8
- 3G WCDMA: 1 / 2 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 8 / 19
- 3G CDMA2000: BC0 / BC1
- 4G FDD-LTE: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 7 / 8 / 12 / 13 / 17 / 18 / 19 / 20 / 25 / 26 / 28A / 28B / 66
- 4G TDD-LTE: 34 / 38 / 39 / 40 / 41
Wireless:
- Wi-Fi: 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4GHz / 5GHz), Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi Display, Wi-Fi Hotspot (V2.0)
- Bluetooth: 5.3
- NFC: Yes
- Navigation: GPS + GLONASS + BeiDou + Galileo
Features
- Sensors: Fingerprint (Back-Mounted), G-Sensor, Compass, Gyroscope, Proximity, Ambient Light
- Fingerprint Unlock: Yes
- Face Unlock: Yes
- Infrared Port: Yes
- USB: USB Type-C
- USB OTG: Yes
- Programmable Key: Yes
- Loudspeaker: Yes
- 3.5mm Headphone Jack: Yes
- Wireless Charging: No
- FM Radio: Yes
Miscellaneous
- Colors: Red / Blue / Black
- LED Light: Yes (Dynamic LED notification)
- SAR Values:
- EU Head: 0.602 W/kg
- EU Body: 0.798 W/kg
- US Head: 0.953 W/kg
- US Body: 0.845 W/kg
Who Is This For?
The Jelly Star is not a mainstream device—and that’s what makes it lovable.
If you want a huge screen for gaming or productivity, this is not it.
But if you want a phone that is:
- Ultra-portable
- Fun to use
- Great as a backup phone
- Perfect for travel
- A minimalist everyday device
- A conversation piece
- A functional device for running, biking, working out
- A gadget lover’s collectible
Then this is absolutely worth considering.
It’s especially ideal for people who want a light device when jogging, traveling, or going out at night without carrying a bulky phone. Some users can even use it as a dedicated music player because of its headphone jack and pocketable size.
Phones this size are a rare breed—small, cute, powerful, and packed with features. It’s not meant to replace your main smartphone (though it could, depending on your lifestyle), but it is an incredibly fun and surprisingly capable device.
If you miss the days of compact phones or simply want a unique gadget that doesn’t compromise on modern features, the Jelly Star delivers on its promise: “Still small, yet oh so powerful.”
