Boox Picco is exceptionally tiny for an e-reader, but it parts ways with Android and third-party apps

Boox offered some wandering the halls of Messe Berlin at IFA 2026 the opportunity to check out its most exciting upcoming release – a tiny e-reader called the 'Picco' that you could probably pocket and take anywhere. Boox laid out a product trajectory over the last few years that builds on Android to offer an e-reader experience open to third-party apps. That includes Google Play Books, Kindle, and so much more. The Boox Picco, which is slated for a November release, won't offer that experience. Instead, this e-reader experience hinges on a 'take anywhere' design coming in at somewhere just under 4 inches. At that size, it's the ultimate travel e-reader if you're ok with a rather small viewing area. It's garnered a lot of hype for an e-reader, and it deserves a lot of it. It's small, thin, and has some of Boox's best features, like an adjustable front light for reading at any time of the day. It even has a set of custom buttons and page rockers built specifically for an easy experience. But the Boox Picco won't run Android, and that feels like a big loss. Android e-readers, like much of the company's backlog, allow users to install third-party apps beyond what the OS offers. In essence, it opens the doors to your existing libraries you've built over time from apps like Kindle or Google Play Books. Without those apps, you're left with the Boox store and epub files. The Picco will come with a companion app that lets users transfer files to the reader, and even though what we got hands-on time with was an early unit, it seemed like a solid system. But this leaves you limited on options, and you'll have to find epub versions of your favorite stories and publications. You might also be disappointed if you were expecting MagSafe compatibility or Qi2.2 support to get it to stick to the back of your phone. I can't let that entirely detract from the absolutely adorable e-reader. The early unit we played around with felt great in hand, and even with a tiny screen, I can see plenty of uses for such a small device. It's essentially the size of a mini field journal, and carrying it on you in your bag or even pocket all day is a no-brainer if you know you'll get some downtime to catch up on a book or two. The lack of Android probably also facilitates a more compelling price. Boox says the device will be listed for somewhere around $100, though no details are final. If the Boox Picco hits that price tag and the experience is as easy as it seems it will be, the Picco might deserve every bit of praise it's getting before it's even released. Boox plans to launch the Picco sometime in November. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.