Boox has announced the Picco, a very small e-reader with a 3.97-inch black-and-white screen. The device includes a built-in light for reading in the dark and a slot for a microSD memory card, making it the smallest reading device Boox currently sells Engadget.

The Picco is the first product in a new Boox category the company calls "e-paper devices with diverse form factors." It also launches a new product line called Tile, which Boox plans to expand beyond the usual flat, rectangular e-reader shape Engadget, Good e-Reader.

Several important details remain unknown. Boox told Engadget that weight, exact size, battery life, price, and release date will be announced in the near future. The company did suggest the Picco will have "an accessible price point," though no number was given Engadget.

There are not many e-readers this small on the market, but that is starting to change. The Picco is being positioned directly against the Xteink, another compact e-reader that has gotten attention in this small but growing niche The Verge, TechRadar. Both devices are aimed at readers who want something smaller than a standard 6-inch e-reader but more focused on reading than a smartphone.

The 3.97-inch screen size raises questions about comfort. A screen this small is significantly smaller than a paperback page, which could make long reading sessions difficult. A screen this size works better for displaying a few paragraphs at a time, reading short pieces of content, or serving as a backup reading device rather than your main one. The built-in light helps with reading in dim conditions, and the memory card slot lets you add more storage space.

The Tile product line suggests Boox has bigger plans. By calling the Picco the first in a series of "diverse form factors," Boox is signaling that future Tile devices may look quite different from a typical e-reader. What those devices might look like, and whether they will be for reading, note-taking, or something else, has not been specified.

Having a company like Boox enter this space matters because of its size and software. The Xteink has so far had this niche largely to itself, without direct competition from a major brand. Boox's e-readers run on Android, meaning they can run full apps rather than being limited to a closed reading system like a Kindle. That could appeal to users who want more flexibility, though Boox has not confirmed whether the Picco will include that same software.

The broader context here is that it is unclear whether enough people want a reading device this small to support multiple products. Compact e-readers have come and gone before without catching on widely, often because reading on a very small screen becomes uncomfortable over time. The Picco's success will likely depend on whether its portability, price, and software can overcome the natural limits of a 3.97-inch screen for extended reading.

For now, the Picco is more of a preview than a finished product. The details that matter most to buyers — weight, battery life, and price — are still unknown. What Boox has shown is that a major e-reader brand sees enough potential in very small reading devices to build a whole product line around them, and that the Xteink will soon have company.