Buying this Minimalist ‘Dumb Phone’ May Cure Your Internet Addiction

It all started with the revolutionary idea; that people need to put down their smartphones. Tang and Hollier were on track way back in 2014. Analytics firm Flurry has estimated daily smartphone usage among USA residents at an average of five hours daily. Another study by Asurion, a tech support firm, confirms that Americans checked their phones about 80 times daily. Much of the constant abuse of phones is thanks to apps. Several popular smartphone apps like Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter are designed using psychological tricks to grab your attention and keep you engaged.  Today, even the Silicon Valley parents, including those responsible for creating these addictive devices and apps, raise their children to be tech-independent with little or no screen time.

So to tune off, the earlier version of Light Phone couldn’t take photos, text, connect to apps, or send emails. Tang and Hollier designed this ‘dumb’ phone as a security blanket for those users who wanted to leave behind your smartphones at home and “travel light” using only their new phone, the Light Phone. Of course, people could still reach you, but you would be forced to stop looking at your screens and interact more with the world that is around you. Hence, Light Phone wasn’t just technology, it imparted a philosophical message, encouraging users to consider a disconnect with the digital world. Light’s founders blogged about how their company started as they felt people were becoming scared of boredom and solitude.

Light Phone 2.0

Light says that the new version lies between their original device and a good ol’ smartphone. The first-generation mobile was very basic, but the new version still avoids apps. Light Phone 2 positively encourages it’s user to spend quality time doing whatever they love most, free from petty distractions in a recent announcement for the new product.  It pushes you to enjoying a night around town or a trip to the beach, day in the park, a morning jog, or simply some relaxed me-time without your Instagram. The original version of the phone could only make calls and tell the time. But Light Phone 2 sends and receives text messages, to entice users who are absolutely terrified about completely giving up their smartphones.

Handy Features that Everyone will Like

The Light Phone 2 now has an added alarm clock, physical buttons, a larger speaker and a microphone. The manufacturers say that Light Phone 2 is far more user-friendly than the earlier device, and it could even become your one and only phone. The intention behind creating the first version was that it would be used as an add-on companion to the smartphone. You only needed to set up the call forwarding option through Light’s computer app, and leave your primary phone at home for some time. But as Light Phone 2 has many other features, it theoretically could handle the customer’s long-term regular use regime. Light targets smartphone users who are increasingly frustrated by complex Android and iPhone devices.

The device is 6.5 millimeters thick — about the same dimensions as your regular credit card. Light Phone 2 can be slipped into your pant or shirt pocket with ease due to its small and slim size; it can fit snuggly into some wallets. The phone is being priced at $400, but was made available at a discounted price during Light’s Indiegogo campaign run time. Shipping has already started.