Tired of staring at smartphones, some people are opting for basic phones that do less.
While Apple continues to sell millions of iPhones each quarter, a different kind of phone is steadily capturing some consumer attention. Stripped of all but a few important features, “dumb phones” are making a comeback in a very big way as tech-weary consumers yearn for the simpler things in life.
Dumb phones, also known as basic phones, are selling by the millions as people seek alternatives to the constant connectivity provided by smartphones. British actor Eddie Redmayne (“The Danish Girl,” “The Theory of Everything”) recently made headlines by switching to a stripped down model.
“It was a reaction against being glued permanently to my iPhone during working hours,” Redmayne told The Independent.
Redmayne isn’t alone in his shift to a lower-tech device. An estimated 44 million basic phones were sold in 2015, according to the research group Strategy Analytics. While that’s a far cry from the reported 74.5 million iPhone 6 and 6 Plus units Apple sold in just the first quarter of 2015, it still adds up to about 2% of the global market.
Basic phones, as their name suggests, are stripped down models that offer limited features. They might, for example, only have the ability to make and take calls. Some provide basic texting along with calling features, but internet connectivity isn’t offered. Neither is the constant need for consumers to recharge their phones. Whereas iPhone users live with worry about where to get their next charges, some dumb phone models have a tremendous standby battery life of up to 38 days. What’s more, the models tend to be significantly cheaper than smartphones. Some Nokia models cost as little as $30. Nokia now is owned by Apple rival Microsoft, which seems more than happy to cash in on the dumb phone trend.
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Consumers cite a variety of reasons for switching to low-tech phones. Perhaps one of the biggest is a sense that social media is taking over their lives with its constant notifications and updates. By switching to dumbed-down phone models, some consumers say they feel more focused, peaceful and less distracted by a nagging need to read and post. Other consumers are making basic phone purchases to keep their elderly relatives connected to friends and family, or to provide children a cheap way to call home.
As the basic phone market continues to chug along, cellphone makers are rising to meet the demand. Nokia and Samsung both offer “dumb phone” designs. The MP 01 from Punkt is a higher-end model that carries a fairly hefty price tag, about $300 in the U.S. It offers a bit more than standard basic phones: It can make and receive calls and texts, has a calendar and can store up to 3,000 contacts. It also connects to a computer via a USB cord. The battery, however, can last up to three weeks.
The Light Phone, expected to hit the market in June, is a credit card-size model with a battery that lasts 20 days. Techcrunch calls it “the anti-smartphone,” while the company’s website says it’s “designed to be used as little as possible.” Users can make and receive calls, and check the time. That’s pretty much it. It’s priced at $100.
While certainly not a pressing threat to the robust smartphone market, the call for basic cellphones remains strong. Makers such as Punkt and Nokia are counting on more people like Redmayne to seek out the simpler things in life.
