One big caveat to this - the difference between people's stated and revealed preferences. They say they want one thing, but when push comes to shove they choose differently.
Here's an example specifically with phones. Consumers in surveys and on social media would constantly say that they wanted small phones. They were insistent that Apple listened and made a fantastic mini version of the iPhone 11. It was universally praised by reviewers as a perfect small phone. And ... it underperformed heavily. Somehow Apple, a company that prides itself on its supply chain and ability to predict demand for its products overestimated the demand. Consumers didn't actually buy the phone like they said they would.
No matter, maybe it was a one-off. Maybe enough people hadn't heard of it. Maybe they weren't in the right point of the upgrade cycle. People still say they want it! So Apple tried again. iPhone 12 mini. Universally praised. Again, heavily underperformed.
Apple never made a mini phone after that. You know what they did do? Added a larger Plus version.
So when he article says "People want dumbphones", take that with a pinch of salt. Instead it should say "People say they want dumbphones."
Apple does have the iPhone SE, which is smaller. I don't know how it sells, but it's been in their lineup for a while, so I assume it's doing fine. I personally own an iPhone 13 mini and I love it. Hope I don't have to upgrade for a few years.
That said, Apple is not necessarily the best example. A phone that does $1B in revenue might be a big failure (and a distraction) for them and a huge success for a smaller company.
I bought the mini and returned it, not because it wasn’t great, but because it got worse battery life than my already-years-old iPhone, and also because my eyesight is getting worse as I get older, and I’d been in denial about it until seeing text on the smaller iPhone made it impossible to ignore.
It was iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 13 mini. OP is N-1 on his model numbers.
I had the iPhone 13 mini. It was a great phone, but interfaces aren't being designed for that small of a canvas any more. It increasingly got cramped over time, I gave up in futility and joined the big phone club.
Companies will make them if they perceive there being a big enough market to warrant making the product - which there isn't. The biggest problem is everybody has a different idea of the minimal feature set for a dumb phone. Voice and texting? Sure, sure. Those are table stakes. Hey - email would be nice too! Okay. You know, it'd be awfully convenient to have a camera so I can snap photo and send them to my friends. Okaaaaay. And so it goes. By the time you're done you'll have re-traced the feature development of the smartphone.
Here's the thing about smartphones - you can make them as dumb as you want. You can determine the set of minimal features that works for you, providing everything you need while minimizing distractions. I know, I know - crazy concept!
> Here's the thing about smartphones - you can make them as dumb as you want
Oh, how I wish that were true, but it isn't. I can certainly decide which capabilities are presented in the UI (for the most part), but the reason I want a dumbphone is to avoid the security problems smartphones have. If the advanced functionality is there, whether or not I see it, so are the additional security problems that come with it.
I want my phone to be, as much as possible, limited enough in terms of hardware (processing power, memory, etc.) so as to make it incapable of advanced functionality.
Personally, I want the ability to make and receive phone calls and texts, and the ability to tether. Everything else I can do on a separate pocket device that isn't on the cell network and that I can actually have complete control of.
Can't you just get a plan without data, or just turn off data and wifi?
If you are only using your phone for calls and sms, and don't ever turn on your network, I'm not sure what security problems you are trying to avoid. Unless you are living under a totalitarian government, this seems excessive to me, but maybe there are other things I'm missing.
Modular phones is a good solution. There have been a few genuine
attempts [0] - and a big win is for the environment too because
modular designs are repairable.
I don't much buy the "slippery slope" argument for not offering a
basic voice only phone, because there is a large demand for it
according to article which I take as the premise for the discussion.
The reality is that one cannot make a smartphone "as dumb as you
want". Well, technically I can, but I don't know many other people who
have a x100 bench microscope and SMD soldering gear to rework
chips. Hardware capability is the key demand here because one
fundamentally cannot trust software as it is today. Also, even if
disabled in the OS, many potentially insecure and power-hungry
subsystems remain active.
Modular phones will need to mature somewhat to meet these new needs.
It's high time that physical standards for modules were solid, but in
Europe we will see interoperability and environmental regulations make
that a reality.
Expect to see adding cameras, Bluetooth, GSM and memory be as easy as
flipping in a SIM. The environment and all cellphone users will thank
us for that.
> Here's the thing about smartphones - you can make them as dumb as you want. You can determine the set of minimal features that works for you, providing everything you need while minimizing distractions. I know, I know - crazy concept!
...actually, I can't, at least on iOS, because many of the built-in apps cannot be uninstalled:
1. Health, Find My, and Wallet. These are clearly superfluous to the basic functionality of a phone. Why can't you remove them?
2. Safari. Given how central the web is to modern life, I kind of understand why Apple doesn't let you remove this. However, if you don't think it's healthy to have a web browser in your pocket, well, tough luck.
3. Messages. This makes sense, as texting is basic cell phone functionality. However, the iOS Messages app comes with its own integrated store that can't be disabled. Wat.
4. Clock. Setting timers is arguably basic cell phone functionality—but setting my bed time clearly is not, and this is built into the app!
Sure, you could just not use this stuff! But if the central idea is "I don't want a full computer in my pocket that will distract me, I just want a very basic appliance to make calls and texts and maybe a few other extras which I will select", the iPhone is not a device for you! Apple won't let you cut it down past a relatively high baseline. Screen time doesn't really solve anything as it's very easy (and psychologically tempting) to bypass.
I am not familiar with the current state of Android, but I would be surprised if the situation was significantly better. Let me know if I'm wrong!
2. Turn off your Wi-Fi. Using Safari over LTE is not fun!
3. Remove all social media applications
4. Don't store social media passwords in your keychain (can't be tempted to use the browser to hit the sites)
5. Use a strong password generator for your social media logins so it's impossible for you to remember them. Make sure each password is unique for each site so you definitely can't remember them.
You will have gone a long way to making your phone less distracting. When you need to get work done (assuming you're in an office environment), put your phone in a desk drawer. Research has shown the physical presence of the phone on your desk or in your pocket can be distracting. Hidden away in a drawer and it's not distracting.
And while you can't completely remove the Health, Find My, and Wallet applications, you can certainly make them practically inaccessible. You have a lot of controls available to make your phone less distracting.
I recently embarked on a journey to make myself a "dumbphone". I started with an iPhone 12 mini, removed every app possible and kept Phone, Contacts, Messages, Camera, Photos, and Safari with a 15 minute daily limit. My main motivations for going with iPhone were
1. Get to keep iMessage
2. Get to keep a good camera with easy photo syncing
3. Browser when really needed
4. App store for emergencies
5. I eventually added Bitwarden (for passwords) and iCloud Files, for when I need email attachments (PDFs) without access to email.
I also enabled lockdown (didn't contribute much to the dumb experience) and black & white color filter. It's fine, and I do use it a lot less when out and about, but I've had many inconvenient moments in the first couple months
1. Rented a Uhaul, which basically required a smartphone to complete the checkout process. Got away with not having it because Uhaul seems to have lots of issues even with smartphones and let me slide
2. I should probably add Maps back, for obvious reasons.
3. Having to ask everyone I communicate with through an app (via website these days) for their number before leaving the house, otherwise there's no way to get in touch. Burned me a couple times meeting up for bike rides etc. (no Strava on phone)
4. Having to tell someone I'll pay them back (Venmo etc) "when I get home" is awkward at best.
5. Haven't needed an Uber yet, but will probably have to install that at some point.
6. Will have to go back to paper boarding passes and such, I suppose
Overall I use the phone less... recently had a Dr appointment and was flabbergasted to be the only person in the waiting room who didn't look at their phone once, let alone stare at it the entire time. But that said, I had already removed all social media from my phone for many many years. So the improvement was marginal and the inconveniences have definitely been there.
Ultimately, I think removing any app that causes you to scroll mindlessly (social media obviously, but also any news, video, etc.) and setting screen time limits for need to haves like Browser will be as far as most people should go.
> I recently embarked on a journey to make myself a "dumbphone". I started with an iPhone 12 mini, removed every app possible and kept Phone, Contacts, Messages, Camera, Photos, and Safari with a 15 minute daily limit. My main motivations for going with iPhone were
I did the same with Android. I even removed the browser. All the installed apps fit on a single screen and three of them are basically authenticator apps.
What’s so bad about having a smartphone but exercising self-control? Turning off notifications is trivial. Nobody is forcing you to use social media. Having GPS in your pocket at all times is a super power. You must have one if your employer requires 2FA but doesn’t provide a phone (smaller companies). I like the idea of a dumb phone in theory, but we have long since crossed the bridge.
What tracking specifically are you referring to? Is it apps tracking location, or browsing history? If it's just location tracking by the carrier, that's done regardless of phone type.
There's a few reasons. You have to be aware that you're sinking time into your phone, realise that it is a problem and then exercise constant vigilance to keep from falling back into old habits, comparable to many other addictions. There's armies of marketers and psychologists working to try and glue your eyeballs to your screen and resisting that pull is non trivial for many. A dumb phone and a dedicated GPS unit along with a paper calendar works well for me during times when I feel like unplugging; no self control required.
I had a Sonim XP3 "dumb phone" that I used for a year and successfully drove my screen time down from 1-2 hours per day to <10min.
The key for me was that the input (T-9 keyboard) and output (tiny non-touch display) modalities were so constrained that any task that wasn't completely trivial was made so painful that I would put it off until I was in front of a computer, if I did it at all. This was a great way to filter out tasks that weren't truly important enough to work on immediately in the moment.
The downfall was my new job which required travel for work, which meant needing a phone capable of managing flights, navigation, and coordinating with my coworkers.
If my circumstances change, I fully intend to switch back to the XP3 or something similar.
I do wish there was something available that could perform those tasks I need for work, but not give me the "full throughput" to get distracted.
What I really want is a dummy dumb phone that's a Bluetooth controller for my smartphone so I can call and text from it but have no other distractions.
There's a little flip phone Bluetooth dialler thing that pops up on ali etc quite often but it's the size of a postage stamp.
I suppose yes a smart watch in a "dumb phone" body with a basic screen and dial pad, and all it links to is messages and calls, no other notifications or ability to interact with any other functionality.
> People want 'dumbphones'. Will companies make them?
Yes, they will. You just have to google "dumbphones" and you will come up with a number of options on the first page. If you go to Amazon, you will find even more, ranging from ~$25 to several hundred.
I have even seen phones geared towards very niche communities, such as ultraorthodox Jews, where uber and waze are acceptable, but instagram and facebook are not, so the phones enforce this at a relatively low level (making it hard for a somewhat savvy teen to circumvent)... just Google "kosher phones".
I have seen phones for the elderly, with oversized keys and a dedicated panic button. There's lots of existing stuff on the market, so this headline makes no sense.
Readit News
Here's an example specifically with phones. Consumers in surveys and on social media would constantly say that they wanted small phones. They were insistent that Apple listened and made a fantastic mini version of the iPhone 11. It was universally praised by reviewers as a perfect small phone. And ... it underperformed heavily. Somehow Apple, a company that prides itself on its supply chain and ability to predict demand for its products overestimated the demand. Consumers didn't actually buy the phone like they said they would.
No matter, maybe it was a one-off. Maybe enough people hadn't heard of it. Maybe they weren't in the right point of the upgrade cycle. People still say they want it! So Apple tried again. iPhone 12 mini. Universally praised. Again, heavily underperformed.
Apple never made a mini phone after that. You know what they did do? Added a larger Plus version.
So when he article says "People want dumbphones", take that with a pinch of salt. Instead it should say "People say they want dumbphones."
That said, Apple is not necessarily the best example. A phone that does $1B in revenue might be a big failure (and a distraction) for them and a huge success for a smaller company.
It's the same in the android space. Asus Zenphone was the Small flagship that many people praised: no more.
MKBHD covers this pretty well on his channel here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iR9zBsKELVs
I had the iPhone 13 mini. It was a great phone, but interfaces aren't being designed for that small of a canvas any more. It increasingly got cramped over time, I gave up in futility and joined the big phone club.
Here's the thing about smartphones - you can make them as dumb as you want. You can determine the set of minimal features that works for you, providing everything you need while minimizing distractions. I know, I know - crazy concept!
Oh, how I wish that were true, but it isn't. I can certainly decide which capabilities are presented in the UI (for the most part), but the reason I want a dumbphone is to avoid the security problems smartphones have. If the advanced functionality is there, whether or not I see it, so are the additional security problems that come with it.
I want my phone to be, as much as possible, limited enough in terms of hardware (processing power, memory, etc.) so as to make it incapable of advanced functionality.
Personally, I want the ability to make and receive phone calls and texts, and the ability to tether. Everything else I can do on a separate pocket device that isn't on the cell network and that I can actually have complete control of.
I don't much buy the "slippery slope" argument for not offering a basic voice only phone, because there is a large demand for it according to article which I take as the premise for the discussion.
The reality is that one cannot make a smartphone "as dumb as you want". Well, technically I can, but I don't know many other people who have a x100 bench microscope and SMD soldering gear to rework chips. Hardware capability is the key demand here because one fundamentally cannot trust software as it is today. Also, even if disabled in the OS, many potentially insecure and power-hungry subsystems remain active.
Modular phones will need to mature somewhat to meet these new needs. It's high time that physical standards for modules were solid, but in Europe we will see interoperability and environmental regulations make that a reality.
Expect to see adding cameras, Bluetooth, GSM and memory be as easy as flipping in a SIM. The environment and all cellphone users will thank us for that.
[0] https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/modular-phones-roundup/
...actually, I can't, at least on iOS, because many of the built-in apps cannot be uninstalled:
1. Health, Find My, and Wallet. These are clearly superfluous to the basic functionality of a phone. Why can't you remove them?
2. Safari. Given how central the web is to modern life, I kind of understand why Apple doesn't let you remove this. However, if you don't think it's healthy to have a web browser in your pocket, well, tough luck.
3. Messages. This makes sense, as texting is basic cell phone functionality. However, the iOS Messages app comes with its own integrated store that can't be disabled. Wat.
4. Clock. Setting timers is arguably basic cell phone functionality—but setting my bed time clearly is not, and this is built into the app!
Sure, you could just not use this stuff! But if the central idea is "I don't want a full computer in my pocket that will distract me, I just want a very basic appliance to make calls and texts and maybe a few other extras which I will select", the iPhone is not a device for you! Apple won't let you cut it down past a relatively high baseline. Screen time doesn't really solve anything as it's very easy (and psychologically tempting) to bypass.
I am not familiar with the current state of Android, but I would be surprised if the situation was significantly better. Let me know if I'm wrong!
2. Turn off your Wi-Fi. Using Safari over LTE is not fun!
3. Remove all social media applications
4. Don't store social media passwords in your keychain (can't be tempted to use the browser to hit the sites)
5. Use a strong password generator for your social media logins so it's impossible for you to remember them. Make sure each password is unique for each site so you definitely can't remember them.
You will have gone a long way to making your phone less distracting. When you need to get work done (assuming you're in an office environment), put your phone in a desk drawer. Research has shown the physical presence of the phone on your desk or in your pocket can be distracting. Hidden away in a drawer and it's not distracting.
And while you can't completely remove the Health, Find My, and Wallet applications, you can certainly make them practically inaccessible. You have a lot of controls available to make your phone less distracting.
Will they have the battery life of a dumb phone?
1. Get to keep iMessage
2. Get to keep a good camera with easy photo syncing
3. Browser when really needed
4. App store for emergencies
5. I eventually added Bitwarden (for passwords) and iCloud Files, for when I need email attachments (PDFs) without access to email.
I also enabled lockdown (didn't contribute much to the dumb experience) and black & white color filter. It's fine, and I do use it a lot less when out and about, but I've had many inconvenient moments in the first couple months
1. Rented a Uhaul, which basically required a smartphone to complete the checkout process. Got away with not having it because Uhaul seems to have lots of issues even with smartphones and let me slide
2. I should probably add Maps back, for obvious reasons.
3. Having to ask everyone I communicate with through an app (via website these days) for their number before leaving the house, otherwise there's no way to get in touch. Burned me a couple times meeting up for bike rides etc. (no Strava on phone)
4. Having to tell someone I'll pay them back (Venmo etc) "when I get home" is awkward at best.
5. Haven't needed an Uber yet, but will probably have to install that at some point.
6. Will have to go back to paper boarding passes and such, I suppose
Overall I use the phone less... recently had a Dr appointment and was flabbergasted to be the only person in the waiting room who didn't look at their phone once, let alone stare at it the entire time. But that said, I had already removed all social media from my phone for many many years. So the improvement was marginal and the inconveniences have definitely been there.
Ultimately, I think removing any app that causes you to scroll mindlessly (social media obviously, but also any news, video, etc.) and setting screen time limits for need to haves like Browser will be as far as most people should go.
I did the same with Android. I even removed the browser. All the installed apps fit on a single screen and three of them are basically authenticator apps.
- an alcoholic having beer in the fridge but exercising self-control?
- an overweight person having sugar cookies in the pantry but exercising self-control?
- a drug addict having heroin in the glove compartment but exercising self-control?
Also: I remember having GPS on a feature phone in ~2005. You don't need a smartphone for that.
this example is very different from the others haha
The key for me was that the input (T-9 keyboard) and output (tiny non-touch display) modalities were so constrained that any task that wasn't completely trivial was made so painful that I would put it off until I was in front of a computer, if I did it at all. This was a great way to filter out tasks that weren't truly important enough to work on immediately in the moment.
The downfall was my new job which required travel for work, which meant needing a phone capable of managing flights, navigation, and coordinating with my coworkers.
If my circumstances change, I fully intend to switch back to the XP3 or something similar.
I do wish there was something available that could perform those tasks I need for work, but not give me the "full throughput" to get distracted.
https://www.wired.com/story/dumbphones-reddit-last-good-plac...
There's a little flip phone Bluetooth dialler thing that pops up on ali etc quite often but it's the size of a postage stamp.
Yes, they will. You just have to google "dumbphones" and you will come up with a number of options on the first page. If you go to Amazon, you will find even more, ranging from ~$25 to several hundred.
I have even seen phones geared towards very niche communities, such as ultraorthodox Jews, where uber and waze are acceptable, but instagram and facebook are not, so the phones enforce this at a relatively low level (making it hard for a somewhat savvy teen to circumvent)... just Google "kosher phones".
I have seen phones for the elderly, with oversized keys and a dedicated panic button. There's lots of existing stuff on the market, so this headline makes no sense.