At a recent concert, a user demonstrated the capabilities of Meadow, a minimalist smartphone created by its founder, Shreyas Narlanka. The user showed a bouncer a ticket barcode displayed on Meadow’s three-inch square screen, which worked as expected. During the event, the user had used the device to call an Uber, stream Apple Music while traveling, and enter the concert without needing their iPhone, which was only brought along as a backup. The bouncer noted the phone’s simple and straightforward design. Narlanka explained that Meadow was designed to address the growing concern among users about the overwhelming nature of modern smartphones and social media. The company aims to offer a balanced alternative—neither a full smartphone replacement nor complete disconnection from technology. Meadow runs on the Android operating system and supports several key apps, such as Maps, Uber, Spotify, and Apple Music, as well as native apps for features like camera, voice recording, notes, texting, and location sharing. It also supports Bluetooth and can connect to traditional 3.5mm headphones using a USB-C-to-3.5mm adapter. To use Meadow for calls and texts, users need to set up a new phone number through the service, as it cannot use their existing number. Narlanka suggests using the iPhone's "driving" focus feature to notify contacts that the user is using Meadow instead. The phone’s camera performed well in daylight but struggled in low-light conditions, such as inside the concert venue. Photos taken with Meadow can only be viewed through the Meadow app on the user’s primary smartphone, and the device includes a small mirror next to the camera lens for taking selfies. The screen brightness and battery life were not issues during testing, though the display can be overly bright in dimly lit environments. The small, square form factor feels unfamiliar to users but is functional. Meadow is still relatively new, having only recently shipped its first bulk batch to pre-order customers. A few minor issues, such as a glitch with Uber ride tracking, were reported but have since been fixed. Shreyas Narlanka, who is 25 years old, has experience in startups, having previously founded Scoutapp AI, which was acquired by StockX. Meadow has raised funding in December 2024, led by Alana Goyal of basecase capital, with additional support from angel investors including Terrence Rohan, Eros Resmini, Guillermo Rauch, and Jordan Singer.