Well I just committed to leaving the iPhone and just purchased a Light Phone 3. Not wanting to brag but it was something that was a long time coming. I tried to use the Apple Watch as a “minimalist” phone but there were certain shortcomings. So I pulled the trigger it should be coming in April. I will stay in the Apple ecosystem with a Mac and an iPad when I need apps. But I am excited to break free.
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That is a very nice-looking phone — I hope you enjoy it.
I am skeptical of technology fixes for technology addiction, but this phone is appealing.
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That’s fair. I have severe ADHD and still am trying to figure out my workflow on the Mac. But when I used my Apple Watch without the phone present it was really nice on date night.
Im a teacher and I see what phone addictions do to my students. I want to practice what I preach.
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I’ve seen the press comments on phone addiction but having worked in universities (as a sign language interpreter with access to a VLE — Blackboard or whatever is called this minute) and now a student with access to a different VLE (Moodle) I see the use of mobile phone as a positive — if the teacher exploits the technology. For example create quizzes in the VLE to test the students’ learning or as online textbooks. If the kids want to use their phones then use it to your advantage. Don’t ban 'em use 'em, I say.
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Why not just a regular dumb phone? Maybe one with a keyboard? I assume they still make them.
@MurphysLaw I am technology-addicted as anybody, but I don’t see the phone as the problem. It’s the hardware between my ears.
I got my first mobile phone when I was 36 years old. I was already very distractible before then. The iPhone came out 10 years later, and I bought one the first day.
The phone is not the problem.
I minimize notifications. And even minimizing notifications isn’t primarily about minimizing my getting sucked into the screen; it’s just minimizing annoyances.
That said, my solution will not be right for everyone. And the Light Phone is a nice-looking piece of kit. And I understand your requirements as a teacher are to be an example, not just find a solution that works for you.
@Glimfeather When I was in school in the late 1970s and early 1980s we had teachers who gave us open book exams. Bring your textbooks and any other reference materials you want, they said. And then they’d chortle with evil glee and say, “The way I write my tests, you’ll need 'em!”
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I don’t see it as a fair fight.
The biggest companies in the history of mankind who hire teams of psychologists to sap your attention vs. You and your will power. I’ve tried every system in the book and there is always something if the phone is there that sucks me back in. If Apple gave the Watch App to the iPad or Mac I would do that. Maybe a hard break will help me rest the hardware between my ears.
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They are rebuilding the OS from the ground up so you can still function in a world increasingly reliant on smartphones while stripping it of the very things that make these phones a problem. I want to support that. With them being on the Light Phone 3 I have some assurances they are in it for the long haul.
Also I used dumb phones and well not even I can handle going back to T9 Texting. Also increasingly dumb phones do not work on modern cell networks.
Neat purchase. I’m looking forward to seeing how much better the Directions add-on is with the 3’s hardware.
Even if it’s good, not working with a car’s system/screens and with the screen it has, I can’t imagine it will be good for driving.
I just did a search, and it looks like traditional dumb phones are no longer a thing, and this is considered a dumb phone now. There are also a few of these type of phones available today (and they aren’t cheap).
I prepped for this. I have a Garmin Unit I got for like $70.
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Unpopular opinion incoming.
This is the definition of e-junk.
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I think that is probably most people’s opinions here, everyone is just being nice. If OP is excited about it, good for him. This might be perfect for him as far as we know.
I absolutely hear you.
Gotta say, this phone is the sort of thing that I’d actually be willing to try if it weren’t for the fact that I absolutely need more functionality than what this thing offers. I’m at the point where I need apps to do my laundry at my apartment complex, to park when I drive downtown, etc. Basically, I’d have to have a second phone - which makes my life harder, not easier.
If I could make this work with my life, I’d be strongly considering it. And I hope there’s some uptake, because competition like this has the potential to influence other manufacturers to offer options.
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Look up dumb phones, there are multiple types of these phones currently being made. Most aren’t cheap though. I would assume because not enough people are buying them to make it a profitable business. You could get a bad Android phone for $200-300, have something that would work with your car for maps, play music, etc. Of course the phone would be so bad, you wouldn’t want to use it for more than text messages and phone calls anyway. 
For what it’s worth there was a conversation about it on the Focused Podcast so the issue is in the Zeitgeist.
I mean, I get it. Dumb phones have been around forever. This isn’t new. But “cheap” isn’t necessarily the goal here. Ever see the shows about “tiny houses”? Some of those cost more than a full-size house. The point is the minimal/simple nature of the product, not the price.
That said, from everything I’ve seen, these people make a really nice “dumb” phone that’s well-suited for certain people. I like that the product exists, and I think it’s beneficial for the ecosystem.
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It was around 2014, I just got my first iPhone and I was out in the woods deer hunting and I found myself scrolling in some of the most pristine wilderness imaginable. Something shifted in me that said “this is wrong” and could not put into words what these devices have done to us. This is coming from a guy who ADORED his iPod Video and even watched the first iPhone keynote on his iPod Video. My ADHD was undiagnosed at the time and I have tried every system imaginable to manage it myself but eventually the phone just creeps itself back into being there with me all the time.
I hate hate hate the fact that they are becoming increasingly necessary in modern life. I am considering either an iPad mini or everyone’s favorite Onyx Boox Palma when I “need” apps but will refrain from them for now.
Now if Apple really wanted to give people an option. Just put the Watch app on the Mac or iPad and let the Watch truly stand alone as a product. In the times I do go “watch only” it has been great. I took to my iPad because it felt like an iPhone where actual work could get done and not just a distraction machine. Until then I will see if the Light Phone actually lives up to its promise.
But something that rethinks how we use computers (I like the idea behind the DayLight Computer as well just waiting to see if it goes anywhere before I commit) and gives people an out from the attention economy that in any way moves the needle to better habits is a good thing.
I also appreciate you guys being nice. I’ll report back on how it goes.
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I completely agree with what you’ve said and I am on the same journey myself. I have gone apple watch primarily and leave my phone on charge in the corner of my bedroom for as much of the time as I can.
While it’s true that the fault lies with us, removing the availability of distracting devices will make it easier to break bad habits and form new ones. I also think there is a philosophical issue at play, where for us it is the principle of the matter as well.
I was very wary of trying to solve a tech problem with more technology but my screen time data shows a massive shift, so the watch is working for me. I’ll be really interested to hear how you get on with the light phone.
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