Honor has launched the Life S3, a compact e-reader that magnetically attaches to the back of a smartphone. Rather than acting as a camera preview screen, the accessory is designed to let users carry a small library and read without using their phone’s main display.

The Life S3 has a 3.68-inch E Ink screen with a pixel density of 259 pixels per inch. It is 5.6mm thick and weighs 61 grams, making it small enough to sit behind a phone without adding the bulk of a conventional e-reader.

Honor is selling the device in China for CNY 360, which is approximately $54, £40, €47 or ₹5,150 based on the conversions provided. The company has not indicated whether the Life S3 will be released globally.

How the Honor Life S3 attaches to a phone

The reader uses magnets to snap onto the back of a compatible phone or case. Owners whose devices do not already have a magnetic mounting system can use the magnetic ring included in the retail package. Honor also includes a screen protector and a charging cable.

The accessory has a 650mAh battery. Honor says its low-power E Ink display allows up to 30 hours of continuous reading on a charge. Charging takes place through a USB-C port, and the available information does not indicate that the phone can recharge the reader through reverse wireless charging.

Supported book formats and storage

Books can be transferred wirelessly from a phone through the Honor Smart Space app. The Life S3 uses Wi-Fi 6 for those transfers and supports EPUB and MOBI e-books, along with plain-text files. It can also open DOC, DOCX and PDF documents.

A microSD card slot expands the reader’s storage, with support for cards up to 1TB. That gives the device space for a substantial collection of books and documents without relying on the phone’s internal storage.

Touch controls, but no front light

The Life S3 has a function button on its left side and a power button on the right. Page turns are handled through the touchscreen rather than dedicated physical buttons.

One important limitation is the lack of a built-in front light. Reading therefore requires suitable ambient light, such as a well-lit room or daylight outdoors. This may make the reader less convenient than larger e-readers for nighttime use, despite its phone-friendly size.

Small e-readers have also appeared from companies such as Xteinkk. Its X4 Pro uses a larger 4.3-inch display, while the X3 has a screen size closer to Honor’s device. The Life S3’s magnetic design distinguishes it by making the phone itself part of the carrying setup.