The Rise Of Dumb Phones

[@uunz4075]

Once you detox from a smart phone, you realize the world isnt as angry as the social media makes it to be. Social media has ruined EVERY.THING.

[@michellecd4722]

Spot on!!

[@Salamander407]

Well said!

[@mr.anderson9938]

How dare you!!!!! Ragggghhhhhh!!! I’m so angry!! 😡

[@crimsonhermit]

Smartphones don’t require the use of social media. 🤨

[@danieldaniels7571]

Yet here you are using it. KZbin is social media.

[@Ammut6]

It's crazy to think that there are people out there who dont realize that a lot of us grew up without "smartphones". And we all used a phone attached to the wall.

[@traceytheisen8067]

People actually memorized numbers, called only during reasonable hours as to not wake everyone else up, and you didn’t need to block calls, you just took it off the hook 🤓

[@1946luke]

Yep, and back in 46 when I showed up, it wasn't just everybody that even had a phone. And then of course, some people were on a party line, but don't even get me started on that.

[@traceytheisen8067]

@@1946luke We had a phone on the wall (brown of course for the times) that was push button but the cord was like 20 feet long so you could walk anywhere and still talk. Then I remember my granny's house had the classic black rotary phone and I still remember my Aunt's phone number that started with letters.

[@americanpaisareturns9051]

Yup! People calling these cellular phone “Dumb Phones” are foolish. They’re cellphones. That’s what they were called when they entered the market.

[@Starry_Night_Sky7455]

But did you have a pay phone in your house like on The Brady Bunch. One episode anyways. Way too funny. The dad had it installed.

[@austinhogan4697]

This to me is why a Blackberry style phone is probably about perfect. A smartphone without all of the apps but you could still have email, a basic browser, a full keyboard, and then some sort of gps application.

[@nil981]

Smart phones have as many advantages as disadvantages. I hate the software updates that are designed to make your phone unusable in three years, the constant automatic downloading of apps I didn't ask for, and the ridiculous prices and marketing nonsense.

[@susannpatton2893]

​@@nil981 constant bombardment of ads after ads for stuff you do not need

[@Von921]

Yes up until now i still wish blackberry is still around. All i need is music, email and keyboard

[@NazriB]

Lies again? Chat Talk Fox News

[@Servant_Of_God_richie_rich08]

Literally my favorite phone

[@nensondubois]

We survived for thousands of years without smartphones, it is definitely doable. Mental health is extremely poor these days more than any other time in history.

[@thecrypto5340]

Facts

[@JesusFollower596]

No it’s not, it’s only being recorded more and more. It’s always been around smh 🤦 ppl are stupid

[@NazriBuang-w9v]

Lies again? Lousy And Stupid Fox News

[@Magam.1]

$400 for a dumb phone is like paying for a corvette and getting a bicycle

[@andy2641]

Eh. If everyone started using electronic bikes instead of normal ones, and someone bought an expensive normal one, would you think it’s dumb? No, because it does the normal things good

[@hipidipi20157max]

yes because you can make any smartphone dumb, even better if remove the sim card and just use email. Remove also the speaker inside.

[@FeliciaCrunk]

Its why i wish we could convert old phones to 4G i know for sure that would be so much cheaper

[@babatu6717]

Yeah. I got mine 12 years ago for 20$ new and am still using it with joy. Replacing a battery once after 8 years is not an issue and there's no need for a technician.

[@dobbie563]

$400 for a Nokia like phone is daylight robbery

[@Gothboy95]

I’m a conspiracy theorist but I’m pretty sure these new dumb phones. Just have tracking devices on them or whatever our smart phones have for us to be watched is now on these new “dumb phones”

[@alirezaabbasi6882]

@@Gothboy95 Yes the fact that some of these "dumb phone" can be connected to 4g network is very alerting

[@juliannehannes11]

Do they still sell jitterbugs?

[@specialopsdave]

​@@alirezaabbasi6882 Specifically LTE. Non-LTE 4G is basically no different from 3G

[@orangedark]

They are not $400. This guy found these premium brads no one heard of. Any actual dumb phone is $50-100 and they also have 3-4G but the acteen makes it minimalistic so you can only receive messages and open basic website interface. As for media, you have to have your own. Like this dweeb having to actually support his artist by buying an album for the first time in his life. But you can actuallisten to music without internet and whenever. That's the point of dumb phones. Freedom and selfsufficiency.

[@halonova8995]

I would have to be pretty stupid to buy a "dumb phone" for $400...

[@carlosencarnacion9425]

Yep, the moment they mention the price I went 'WHY?!? why would you buy that at 400?'. You can find better 'dumb' phones for waaaay cheaper. This feels like is just price for the purpose of it been a 'gimmick' and so the 400 price tag.

[@WG55]

And then they called it *Punkt.* 😆

[@crp5591]

Agreed! I had to go look online to see what they go for.. I saw TONS of new phones out there for anywhere from $40 to $100. Much more reasonable for a feature phonenthan the ones being shown in the video.

[@themasterofbbq1234]

They're only worth $5 lmao.

[@KevinSmith-qi5yn]

You can buy 2 top end Nokias for that.

[@ahadmrauf]

I can see dumb phones for kids totally being a thing, I had a Motorola Razr flip phone as a middle and high schooler, and for most things kids needed to do that was perfectly sufficient to tell my parents if I'd be coming back home late that day or if something was wrong. I don't doubt there's social pressure among kids to have a nice phone, though, similar to the fashion trends of old.

[@JRPGGUY]

I had a razer back in the day too. Good times

[@jmtradbr]

a cellphone with mp3 is all i needed when i was a kid.

[@towerofresonance4877]

Motorola! Hello moto! 2003!

[@djwoosie98]

Lol no kid wants a dumb phone and peer pressure is not the reason

[@johansjournal]

but children must be able to use tiktok so they can find out if they are trans

[@Spoondota]

A perfect dumb phone 1. USB-C 2. Blackberry’s body and keypad 3. 3310’s display and durability 4. Nokia’s battery 5. Headphone jack Extra: transparent housing

[@Taakabron211]

The Motorola i465 fits all those categories

[@Roshan_420]

Blackberry passport

[@fallenshallrise]

I love this move and wish more people would go this way so every hang out wasn't someone showing you something on their phone or stopping the conversation to look something up. Still I wish these things worked - like just because it's dumb it shouldn't be slow and unresponsive. It should be amazingly easy to get us back to snappy responsive dumb phones with week long battery life.

[@hudldevice1092]

That's the sad thing; non-smart phones now are worse than they were at their peak c.2010.

[@slapshotjack9806]

No, because people just want the latest and greatest things these days now you can’t really please someone with a basic phone because nowadays many things require you to have a smartphone which is why I wish apple and Samsung could produce a “smart” phone but with basic necessities such as gps music banking and all those other apps you would need to get things done

[@Andla_2806]

@fallenshallrise Oh... that era when you could keep a conversation going with someone and that person looked at you in the eye... those were the days!!!

[@mackpines]

It’s interesting how phones have evolved over the years. They went from being large in the 1980s, to small in the 2000s and then back to large in the 2010s and 2020s.

[@XVeganDaveGodFreeX]

Zoolander phone! 🤣

[@ninja.saywhat]

true! in the early 2000s i remember nokia and other brands were putting out new models and they were getting smaller up until 2005-2006ish when they reversed and started to have bigger screen even though they were still technically "dumb phones". iphone was just about to come out around that time and that's what i consider the year 2007 as the birth year for true smartphone. some people say smartphone were around as early as late 90s. i think it just depends on how you define what a smartphone is. i still consider the first iphone to be the first true smartphone.

[@user-mg2qz6ep2o]

​@@ninja.saywhat Interesting. They may have existed in the late 90s but they would have been extremely rare and insignificant. I would agree that the iphone was the first proper smart phone but it would take few more years for it to catch on and for other brands to catch on too. Lots of people were still predominantly using 'dumb'/feature phones or keyboard phones in 07, 08 up to 10 at the latest except business' people. That's how I remember it. and this was in the UK. It would be interesting to see where they will evolve in the coming years.

[@tobystrickland8000]

Funny thing everyone I was Born 1970 and in the mid 70's is when they came out. They was in suitcases and for your car. Only wealthy people had them.

[@06speedtriple]

I think by deleting (or never creating) Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok.... accounts and having time limits on KZbin and mobile gaming are the best actions for young and old.

[@ChatGTA345]

and not just that, pretty much all of Internet is such a sucker of our time

[@babs_babs]

do you follow all those rules on a regular basis?

[@06speedtriple]

@@babs_babs Absolutely! I don't have Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok accounts and I average 30 mins of KZbin per day. I do have a LinkedIn account though 🤥. My wife has been using The Lightphone II for a year now but I still have a Google Pixel 7. Personally we feel that we are not missing anything important or urgent. All our close friends and family know to call or txt to reach us. We live by the rule of when we see or hear from them we can then share meaningful updates on each other's lives.

[@amandacash8730]

Thank you for this comment!!!! Social media and phone distraction in general is about self control. Sad that we have to eliminate the device instead of just changing our behavior. Love the time limit apps - set them for myself. Can only imagine how helpful this would be for kids.

[@InuchanConejito]

To this day I refuse to have any games in my phone . If I want to play a game I only do it on my switch.

[@rohitraobgm]

I'm 26 and I got my first phone at 18. I was also not allowed to be on social media until 18. I'm glad I was restricted until I became an adult!

[@moonasha]

question, how did your parents restrict you? as soon as my parents put a computer in my room, I was doing alll the restricted stuff... playing violent games, watching pron, you name it.

[@antithotsensei3073]

@@moonasha they just didn't buy it lol

[@rohitraobgm]

@@moonasha I still had access to PC and internet, but no social media

[@ivosanader5613]

Thank your parents for actively raising you instead of letting the phone (and media) doing their job, like most of parents do nowadays.

[@cutehumor]

@@moonasha no wonder the young generation has gone mad with school shootings

[@Beansprout.2131]

It's ironic how they call this a dumb phone when deciding to detox from social media and video games is in fact a SMART move. Having the conscious mind to stay away from things that could harm our mental health is SMART.

[@wrenshultz8275]

Can confirm: I switched over to a dumb phone. If I want to use the internet, I wait til I get home to use it. I enjoy the simplicity of my dumb phone, would have it no other way.

[@jimv77]

Who else HATES endless texting back and forth when a 3-5 minute phone call could accomplish the conversation?

[@bunchielove6893]

Yes and I have decided to ignore the text. Especially with people I know didn't grow up with this type of technology. I'm not going to stop what I'm doing to text back and forth. Ignore and force you to call.

[@kchishol1970]

I understand, but for my situation, texting is useful as being more discreet in particular situations.

[@adesuwa9112]

Def me even tho most of my friends are the opposite lol

[@ralphb4012]

For me 3 vollies back and forth generates a phone call.

[@fam4449]

With work-people, texting or email is the best for liability.

[@markc.5750]

I ditched my smart watch for a mechanical watch and it's been one of the best things I've done for my mental health. Now this has given me something else to ruminate on.

[@lyssabarsda9548]

Basic phones have their place depending on what you would like to do with them but as a business tool for a manager at a company, the smart phone is really useful. When it comes to mental health, self control is more important in addition to having social / internet literacy. I will admit I do miss the solid nature of my original nokia...

[@michaelyun2407]

Like selling drugs? Dumb phone is perfect no way to track your and you can easily buy a pre paid dumb phone for cheap😂

[@TayDays1128]

My first phone was a Motorola RAZR. First social media was Myspace. It was a background thing that didnt have much importance in your life. Now you have young people growing up 100% attached and relied to screens, from toddler to adult. Its taken over their lives and making them more socially isolated.

[@TS-cs2pe]

Me and my friends actually discussed about this like 12 years ago. It was because some of us are getting into old analog cameras, and we wonder if one day old phones would become a retro trend

[@kyupiangel90]

It is, already, a retro trend. Old-looking modern phones, with basic apps and recent OS, but none of the social media addiction, are making an entering precisely bc we loved flip phones and old buttons but we still need some convenience and modern apps to get around places, so phones that are a mix of the two are already a thing and a retro trend already, just on a smaller scale than i would love to.

[@healingandgrowth-infp4677]

Cameras seemed better on old phones like on my old sony cybershot bright clear sharp colourful. Also they are hardier never crack or break if dropped.

[@thepitpatrol]

Analog cameras take skill and talent for sure. They are an art form.

[@Roshan_420]

2G is getting shutdown in a lot of countries

[@brandonbagwell7676]

Omg, when I was 16, I used to keep a copy of the yellow pages in my trunk (to save money from not dialing 411, along with folding maps). Later, printed mapquest became an option. I am SOOO loving that the new generation is discovering that "phones" are actual phones! ❤

[@Starry_Night_Sky7455]

Still keep a printed official road map. It's a good idea.

[@Anonymous-wb3nz]

​@SuperNostalgia.Screw off, creepy cultist. Grow up!

[@KumiChan2004]

I tend to be a late adopter of new technology. I remember printing out maps and directions for places I was going all the time. And getting lost sometimes because I made a wrong turn. But GPS was a good time saver for me.

[@eastfrisian_88]

At 35, I still remember the days when there were road maps from the automobile club and the books were easily 300 pages thick ... and my parents got into a fight in the front of the car on the way to vacation because they got lost 😂I actually have a road map book (complete edition of Germany) carefully packed in the glove compartment, you never know! 😂I also still have a landline phone. Sometimes I feel like I'm part of the last generation that would survive without the internet and a smartphone.

[@IDontlikeubutGIVEmeyourMONEY]

*_Same here! I'm not giving up my landline_* ​@@eastfrisian_88

[@NotThatGuy_YepThatGuy]

The fact that we have to call them Dumb phones sparks something in me.

[@halonova8995]

What should we call them... Less intelligent pbones?

[@chriskim7123]

That you're dumb?

[@kasseen]

@@halonova8995 how about, Basic Phone

[@jtgd]

@@kasseen or, and hear me out… a Telephone or a button phone

[@souluti0n]

Burner phone for a certain clientele 😅

[@22derfy]

Still using my smartphone minus the social media apps 😂

[@chanmarr8118]

Same. Haven’t been on fb or ig for about a year.

[@Nothinglefttosay]

And here you are…! 😂

[@tanman49]

That’s how I do it. If it doesn’t help me stay productive or save time, it’s not going on my smart phone.

[@ninjanerdstudent6937]

Do you still have the KZbin app?

[@wayando]

@@Nothinglefttosay ... KZbin is a productive "social media" ... Depending how you use it. Unlike the others which are pure downside

[@achillesrossberg6652]

Did CNBC just call these retro phones “dumb phones”, so technically we can call retro consoles dumb consoles. WTF!! That a big corporate channel uses such adjectives is just not professional; these phones were a breakthrough during their times

[@susannpatton2893]

When the "smart phones" came out, I was in the market for a new phone. The salesman gave me the pitch, and I told him, it doesn't have to intercept deep space transmissions, it just has to make a phone call. It is a phone that has turned into a mini computer.

[@sheshan88]

When you call something a trend that means it won't last long, trends come and go but won't last in this world.

[@gradientO]

Imposing self control (time limits , etc) is much more effective and doable in the long run than replacing your essential device with a less capable device (though it'll call, message, etc)

[@jenileeann]

I agree with this 100%. I used to read my books on my phone. Recently changed over to using a kindle. Best thing I ever did. With that I use my phone far less. But would not give up my smart phone. Just way to many conveniences. It’s called self control. Which many people these days lack. Not saying anything negative about them. To each their own. But where our priorities lie, that is what we will accomplish. If your priorities are not getting sucked into the negativity of social media, choose that. Doesn’t take downgrading your phone to accomplish that. And for the young ones, that struggle more with that, just because they are young, that’s where parents can help. Many options on this front. Just my opinions.

[@babs_babs]

i want a phone that comes with all the convienent apps but none of the time sucking apps. social media is detracting from a lot of peoples lives. easiest way to break any addiction is to cut off access

[@martinc.720]

@@jenileeann I know this will sound crazy, but I read books in... books!

[@brendanaudi1919]

In Kenya we call them Kaduda or Button phone because of the buttons. Most people prefer them because of 1) Long battery life 2) Strong and Durable 3) Cheap. One can get it for as little as 8 USD 4) Has good network coverage hence suitable for the countryside where the network is usually not that good 5) Security measures since losing an expensive smartphone to thieves is very painful.

[@isaidwhatIsaid86]

Forget the flip phone. Bring back the Sidekick!!!!!!😂😂😂😂

[@KNMK259]

I used a Dumb phone for a month, Jan 2023 after I left my job. It was amazing time, the issue with the smartphone is the constant notifications, best trick I learnt was to disengage notifications to all the apps, and then only have it for the important notifications. Like Calls, messages and Bank apps are important. The stress level of losing a notification is the concern, we feel like as if we would miss something. Actually we do not miss anything.

[@KNMK259]

@Sanctus Paulus 1962 Yes, I had to reply right.

[@beachchickensmedia]

This is exactly what i did. Turning off all notifications is the move.

[@KNMK259]

@@beachchickensmedia brilliance

[@3333927]

Disengaging notifications to all the apps didn't work for me. There are still apps (mainly google apps), which want to notify me. I guess the only solution is another OS for smartphones, that is open source and truly 100 % customizable like linux on a pc is.

[@Von921]

I’m slowly transitioning to this less notification kind of life.. i ditched my apple watch for a g-shock and it is a breath of fresh air

[@RonakDhakan]

Any phone can be made into a utility phone (and a lot better at it than dumb phones) by removing social media, games and entertainment applications.What remains is pure utility.

[@farshimelt]

But you still have to pay the "smart" phone price.

[@RonakDhakan]

@@farshimelt For the value it provides, I think the price is worth it. Imagine that the smartphone was only for a few restricted elites. Then all the others would be protesting to get access to that technology. It provides immense value if used properly. And you do not need an expensive smartphone to get that value. People in media are shown and promote having top end flagship smartphone. But a basic smartphone is more than capable of handling utility functions.

[@crp5591]

This!

[@crp5591]

@@farshimelt If you get a flagship phone from one of the main players, sure.. but there are a bunch of lower end smartphones (and cheaper carriers) that will do the essentials nicely. Call, text, some essential apps like maps, transit (for getting around), etc. It's really the social media apps that ruin wellbeing.

[@lucx]

@@farshimelt The Punkt phone he used costs $400 which is more than a $110 Moto G. Dumb price.

[@derrickj127]

I would love to have a dumb phone alongside my smartphone... grew up w/ flip phones, Motorola Chirp 😂, Blackberrys, T-Mobiles w/ the sliding keyboard. Lowkey miss the Simplicity. We do waste far too much time on Smartphones unintentionally

[@JumbleTasteSpinning]

Dumb phones back = smart people back

[@jackwaycombe]

My wife and I are in our 70s. We started out with dumbphones, went through the smartphone phase, and are now back to dumbphones. We found that smartphones offered all sorts of magical features, few of which we wanted and none of which we actually needed. In my own case, the break came when discussing with my wife the purchase of a recliner bed. When moments later, my phone (which had been on the coffee table during the conversation) directed me towards a local business offering those beds, my phone hit the wall at high speed. My last smartphone cost over £200 here in the UK. My current phone cost me £35. It does everything I need. I can't believe I was so gullible for so long.

[@lyianx]

i disable the sensors on my phone until i actually need them. So the mic doesnt work, not even the camera will work until i turn it back on, specifically to prevent the "spying" that they do.

[@flintwestwood3596]

That sounds terrifying! I would move to a new home if anything in my home flies and crashes into the wall. That's poltergeist stuff.

[@nwaneri0]

Even though I am not in favor of modern smartphone usage, you might have searched for the recliner bed before having the conversation via which cookies, just like in your PC browser, tracked those keywords and provided ads based on that information.

[@Cathy-nz1gh]

@@nwaneri0no I’ve definitely experienced this multiple times, stuff I’ve just said in the same room as my phone, stuff people have said at work whilst my phone has been in my bag… it definitely listens

[@healingandgrowth-infp4677]

@@flintwestwood3596 Grow up

[@beckerderbacker4976]

As a Middle School teacher, please do not get your child a smartphone! A dumb phone with GPS/tracking is all they need. The harmful effects of social media on adolescents is a crisis in the US and one which I see play out nearly every single day.

[@theantiadult]

There. Not slaves. Get your kids smartphones. They need them. Not GPS monitoring like prisoners.

[@Anonymous-wb3nz]

​@@theantiadult*they're. Punctuation, spelling, and grammar matter. Get smarter, dumba$$.

[@Sparrows1121]

@@theantiadult Smartphones are just aids

[@mmss3199]

@@theantiadult they're under guardianship of their parents so their movements ARE owned by their parents while they are minors.

[@amanchabra8947]

My son is 14 and didn't want a phone. We forced him to get one, and as a result, he has a Gabb phone, which is basically a Smart phone without the capability to use Social Media and the internet. It has the higher grade camera and ability to receive texts, calls and put music on it. This one doesn't allow for any other apps to be downloaded to it, not does it have internet capability which has its pros and cons. There are others that give parents control over what their child downloads or sites they can visit on the internet. I am glad to see that the negative effects of smart phones are coming to light though. It is a problem that needs to be addressed.

[@CosmicHarmony58]

Its hard going back to a flip phone due to many reasons such as 2FA on certain places over and over, bank app, notes and just overall important stuff. I decided to keep my Iphone, but i deleted majority of apps and only kept my bank app, email app and i hid KZbin and Safari away so i feel less inclined...but those 2 are still useful for bedtime watching or finding general stuff online like store hours, phone numbers, flyers and etc

[@sha8608]

2FA can be done over SMS but it's quite an adjustment

[@taliaflor]

​@@sha8608 Also insecure as SMS is not encrypted and can be accessed

[@Soundsofthewood]

I use my phone for work. So it would be very hard to go back to a flip phone. I like having easy internet in my pocket for things on jobs. I did delete alot of the apps on it and cut my social media's to just Facebook. I don't do the games or anything like that. It was the battery drain I couldn't stand.

[@andrewgage6942]

I've been using my old Nokia for over 20 years, I tried Samsung and apple, they are just too complicated to use, phones are for making phone calls, my phone only makes phone calls, I don't know what else these technical phones do but people seem to be glued to them killing the art of conversation. Phones used to be simple without taking over people's lives

[@Kurakumakachilibaba]

Remember when it wasn't called a dumb phone and it was called "feature phone" because it had more features than a regular "mobile phone that could only make calls and sms". Features like a camera, music player and a crappy web browser.

[@beback_]

The best thing would be a small-screen smartphone: with smart features but not as addictive. Some Chinese companies produce them but the quality is hit and miss. I hope one day companies like Apple and Samsung consider making small phones again.

[@juliannehannes11]

I miss that perfect IPhone 4s sizing all smart phones used to have until the market started only catering to big 6ft'7 men with 5inch-long fingers

[@v_spw4355]

The reason why the phones are bigger they are heard for photographers. Plus the camera quality.

[@KrotowX]

Totally would like a return of phone in a size of my former HTC Bravo, but with a camera from my current Samsung S9+.

[@wysiwyg88888]

That would be a Palm phone. I have one. Love it!

[@Sashazur]

@@wysiwyg88888I tried a Palm phone. It was very well made but the battery life was terrible. And the screen was so small that many apps were too small to use easily.

[@mightymightyenapack2530]

Kids that are not in highschool really should not have smart phones this idea is great kids should only use phones to contact family in the day and age where creeps run rampant this is the best idea for the kids of the future

[@juliejackman2649]

If all smart phones were to be inoperable, it makes sense to me that we'd have a nation of people who would all of the sudden have the withdrawals associated with addiction. I can't even imagine the horrors that would happen. I like to take a break from or watch less of social media and always keep in mind that I should never become dependent in it and that this happens to a large amount if the population that don't realize it until they have to live without it.

[@1946luke]

And the other thing is, it's just about impossible to find a pay phone, if you needed one.

[@sleepnomore6065]

Sounds like a black mirror episode! A hacktivist blocking all smartphones so people would interact with each other again, only for people to go into withdraw, or stop traveling, eating out, doing extreme things or thirst trapping since they have nowhere to post photos of it!

[@tfkdandsvkc]

Girl bye you know you are exaggerating when you said you can't imagine the horroes

[@johndefalque5061]

I got a dumb phone, cost me $7 at a thrift store and I pay $7 a mo. with VOIP through Ooma, no contract. This beats $150 a mo. for a 'smart" cell-the smart hurts and the contracts are evil! I am autistic, poor, a loner, lost my mojo 8 yrs ago-how important do you think a phone is to me FFS? I can't lose it, or drop it on the pavement or be disturbed when I don't want to be, like at work, in the bar, grocery shopping, etc.

[@klemenlesnjak4306]

Genius! A $20 phone being sold for $400!

[@man.of.god.]

I suggest going with the Schok 2 classic.

[@Razor2048]

$300 for a "feature" phone, is insane when you consider that many other chinese brands will offer fully featured android smartphones, with upper mid range SOCs, andgood cameras for that price. For a smartphone, the most expensive part is the SOC and the screen, a feature phone often uses very low end SOCs and low end displays since they don't need 90+% DCI-P3.

[@TheUltimateBlooper]

You are forgetting R&D and fab space. Tech giants that print phones by the millions can afford to lower the prices - you can't do that with a limited or small run item, which a "dumb phone" would be. On top of that your chinese phones come with all sorts of hardware vulnerabilities and potential spyware - that alone dissuades many people from buying them.

[@HenryCalderonJr]

I think the best phone ever was in 2008 was still the blackberry it was smart enough and secure and yet easy and better to use when it can to keyboards. Less user error entries period. Very accurate. I dropped blackberry because of lack of support after 2010. The only other phone that worked everywhere was the Nokia bar phone of 2000. Could work on any network and in rural areas where coverage was not available. I owned 2 sent to me by what was the bell companies. Where my modern phones or smart phones signals would die those always worked on any area even way out in the middle of nowhere in the middle of the USA where there were no modern networks. Worked on att sprint without roaming charges and in Canada. Went to the americas too and it would work in the old areas. As long as it supported old 1980’s technology it would work reliably. Miss my phones I did keep one and it still connects even though I don’t have actual service it connects to emergency services if needed shtf phone for sure

[@jamesodell3064]

Former President Obama loved his Blackberry and hated giving it up when he became President.

[@v_spw4355]

People hated the blackberry. It had a delay and it was glitchy. People need a smooth experience. If you don’t give people a smooth experience they will move in to another phone that has like apple. Apple and Samsung crippled blackberry.

[@klimtkahlo]

Agree! I loved my blackberry and refused to upgrade to iPhone for a long time but of course having a computer in your hands is really convenient!

[@ronkirk5099]

Never owned a smart phone. My flip phone is all I really need, and as a side benefit, it prevents me from becoming a total screen freak. It also provides all the phone service I need for only ~$90/year.

[@shahrahman6256]

Hello

[@Tialian]

I only pay about $150 a year through Xfinity wireless and that is only because they require at least 1GB of data now at $12. When they first started out there was no data requirement so I was paying $0-2 a month (taxes seem to fluctuate).

[@fredflintstoner596]

SO YOU JUST USE A LAPTOP TO BECOME A TOTAL SCREEN FREAK ? MAKES SENSE !

[@lobstermash]

Taking a break from social media is not the same as taking a break from the internet. The internet is good. Social media are harmful and a waste of time, and we could all do without that crap. But the internet is a modern miracle. Don't confuse them. PS yes "media" is the plural of "medium".

[@jpsoriano5440]

Transitioning to dumb phones allowed me to enjoy more time with my furbaby, clean my house and read my books. I was able to save money since i have less access to online stores.

[@hipidipi20157max]

any portable phone is an invasion of privacy. Just use email at home

[@karl6458]

Punkt goes for 400usd. come on.. 50usd maximum for this

[@HenryCalderonJr]

Yeah at 400 dollars you have been punked! Lol

[@carerforever2118]

Yeah, l can purchase the 12.2 inch Samsung Galaxy Note Pro tablet here in Australia for that price! 😂

[@atlnla4112]

This story is an amazing portrait of where we are as people and a society. It's not the phone that's dumb. A "dumb phone" is simply, a phone. A "smart phone" will do only what you ask it to do. Older people use those phone because normally they only need their phones to work as phones because they don't have the need for all the other things. If you're a person that suffers from mental health issues, the phone is not this issue.

[@ninjanerdstudent6937]

I did not go as far as reverting to a dumb phone like back in high school, but I did the simplest thing possible without spending any additional money. I changed my launcher to a minimalist one.

[@BaddBadger]

Having grown up before any kind of mobile phone or home computer ever existed, it's really interesting for me to watch younger people try to cope without a smart phone. It still wouldn't immediatly cross my mind to use a phone to look up directions. But an entire generation or two have grown up with that as the norm. So it would be so easy for me to snear ''You never heard of a map?!'' But that wouldn't be all the different to me turning my heating on with a switch and someone snearing at me because i hadn't gathered dry wood and banged some rocks together to light a fire. So rather than laugh, or negativly judge, i am full of respect for a generation willing to go against what they have always taken for granted and learn to be less dependent on Apple, Google, etc. Though as a music producer i am truly sickened to hear how long it's been since he bought an album!

[@jackkraken3888]

$400 for a dumb phone? Am I getting Punked? Punkt:'Yes, yes you are. Now give me your money."

[@JoseBriones]

Great video! Glad to see more coverage of basic phones in mainstream media! :)

[@mjjjuly]

The non-social media, non-gaming benefits of smart phones are way too practically convenient. Online banking, multi-factor authentication, transport apps like Uber, food delivery, maps, etc

[@sleepnomore6065]

Good point! Forgot about this....

[@IMeMineWho]

Before smartphones, you could just as easily call a cab, order delivery and you could do banking more safely on a computer or by mail. Calling by "dumb phone" for a cab or delivery is largely just as convenient as an app.

[@utkarshsharma3022]

@@IMeMineWho But these aren't convenient right? Would you rather call a restaurant and order looking at a physical menu, call a cab driver or just use an app to book? I'd rather use the app

[@IMeMineWho]

@@utkarshsharma3022 A phone call not convenient? Takes the same amount of time to call for a taxi or get delivery. Also you have more privacy. Ty for your opinion though..have a fab day!

[@pikachuchujelly7628]

You can sometimes get away with it. My mom frequently shops at this one grocery store that requires you to use an app to get certain discounts. It turns out that this is done by the cashier scanning a barcode on the app, so I just took a screenshot of the barcode, printed it, and taped it to some long expired gift card. Now, all she has to do is just show that card in her wallet instead of pulling out the phone and waiting half a minute for the app to load.

[@joshuaalbert9437]

I ditched my smartphone at the start of the year. My boyfriend gave it two weeks but I honestly haven't looked back. These "essential" devices aren't as essential as we often feel. I thought it would be a huge struggle, but honestly it was pretty easy to give up.

[@VoteForBukele]

So you’re doing this on a PC?

[@yawfraser]

Lies for likes 😂😂

[@CosmicHarmony58]

@@yawfraser It’s not that hard to believe. Not everyone is addicted…I’ve literally went from 2011 to 2017 without a phone. And it was honestly the happiest times of my life. I was literally never worried about anything…no news, no drama, no politics, no literal any soul sucking BS you see…The fact you think people are lying for “likes” says you do it yourself.

[@CosmicHarmony58]

Trust me, I’ve went from 2011 to 2017 without one. Your mental health will improve SIGNIFICANTLY. I regret going back to a phone so much.

[@anatheodoro9596]

@@VoteForBukele what do you mean, I thought most people used youtube on a PC 😅 Especially if they're writing comments

[@Caldinovin]

I'm all for Feature Phones but paying 300$-400$ for one is just crazy.

[@AnaB796]

Wow best video ever! Everyone needs to watch this.

[@alexlim1275]

from my take is that smart phones here in the US is like a buffet, we keep on eating and wanting more and more (social media, internet access, banking, gaming. ect) it gets to the point that we are addicted to the device. we are at a point in sociality where we dont stop and smell the roses any more! for me i have a stressful life and my smart phone doesnt help. i get it, and sad part is i wont do anything to stop it. "yet"

[@Tialian]

Smart phones have way too many conveniences for me to go back. Just over the weekend my wife and I went on a little adventure and even though we planned out the route ahead of time we ended up taking a wrong fork and had to pull up GPS on our phone to get back on track. The majority of time I text over calling, even got my grandparents onboard with it. While there are dumb phones with full keyboards, the last one I had there was a delay before text appeared on the screen which was also demonstrated in this video so makes you wonder if it's still a problem on modern dumb phones.

[@Tialian]

@@onlyonehoudini5302 they may not be wrong considering how many people have a payment plan on a PHONE. Outside of a mortgage, if you have to pay payments on it, you can't afford it (that includes cars).

[@kgpz100]

The fact people can't get off social media is the biggest issue. I love my smart phone, but I no longer use Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, etc. I've never had a TikTok account. I browse the news, KZbin, and text/call friends and family on my phone. Occasionally I use it as a hotspot for my laptop if I'm in public and don't trust public wifi. The idea that you need a dumb phone in order to curb your own compulsions is the capitalization upon electronic addiction.

[@locker47]

I believe in using multiple devices to compartmentalize my tools and force myself to be intentional about device usage. My primary phone has apps only to communicate to my family. When the situation calls for it, I use the phone's hotspot with a secondary full-featured device to access additional tools (GPS navigation, high-resolution cameras) or a tertiary device like a laptop for work stuff (emails, video calls). For example, I keep my old smartphone in the car for such "adventures".

[@DistrustHumans]

Everything you just claimed you needed a smartphone for, I was able to do on my $50 LG Communicator running Java OS years ago. GPS, physical keyboard with no delay, etc. I would imagine the newer dumb phones are just as capable, if not better. I do not use social media (never had a FB/Twitter/Tiktok account), but I have a smartphone due to the Android OS making it more of a computer than just a phone with few extra capabiities, and the fact that I will only pay for one form of unlimited interent (which my smartphone requires). Now that I am on my 2nd smartphone, I undersstand just how limited and restricted it really is when compared to my PC, so I have recently began thinking about returning to one of the new dumb phones.

[@Tialian]

@@DistrustHumans I also don't do social media but I do like to browse news (mostly tech related on my phone) and the occasional game. It's a lot of little conveniences that add up - weather, calculator, discord, security camera, smart thermostat, etc.

[@toyomade]

I’m worried about my kids… for so many reasons. Schools/education/bullying, braindead zombies strung out on electronics or an OF/Patreon E-girl to said zombies, the state of the world and oceans, available resources… I don’t even worry about things like solar flares, hurricanes, and asteroid impacts. The shizzy that really scares me are all things we as human beings can control. Don’t worry, I’m doing my part to educate but every parent knows there’s a flippening… a point at which what friends think, do, and say matter more than the parents. When it comes times to set them free and let them fly, I’m truly worried about the world I’m releasing them into…

[@miguelmelo1814]

I was born in a time where I was lucky enough to follow the birth of the modern internet, along with increasingly smarter phones. That made it easier to discern what is best for me, and what I should really take away from technology. I dont believe the answer lies on "dumb phones", but with parenting in general. Parents need to realize that the way they use or see smartphones in general doesn't translate into today's youth. So, limitations as well as finding the time to give their kids reasons to get out of the phone is really important. Let's not forget that your kids need to feel integrated into their friend's lives, and using a phone that only lets them message through sms will leave them feeling like outsiders. Open dialogue is key while making sure that your kids feel like they can trust you when needed. Believe it or not, they will understand the perils of social media if you explain it to them. Of course, this involves prior work as a parent to ensure your relationship is as healthy as possible. Easier said than done, I know. But being a parent should never be easy.

[@dmacuga]

Lol "I have to check before I leave and try to remember everything... which can be a little bit of a challenge." Scribble it down for yourself! This is great insight though, I love this coverage.

[@carinabell3444]

The Light Phone 2 has been the best decision me and my family ever made! Tracking, data, security is a way bigger issue than most people realize. And YES mental health is way better with out "smart" phones. A desktop is all thats needed or carry a laptop if needed Totally doable, totally worth it

[@TomiwaAdegbola]

Most people in Nigeria that have 2 phone, have 1 smartphone and 1 regular phone, I personally don't like the term dumb phone. The regular phone major reason for selling here is the battery longetivity and being used as backup to smartphones.

[@michaeldhondt368]

That’s what I have. I use a flip phone for calls and texts and a smartphone for data. I can easily just leave my smartphone at home if I don’t want the distraction for a day and still have calls and texting. It’s actually a great solution that would work for almost anyone.

[@TomiwaAdegbola]

@@michaeldhondt368 I think this is a very smart decision.

[@albertPI007]

it's really interesting how we're going back in time, but with the idea of having not more distractions in life.

[@mattwaldren]

gave up my smartphone four months ago, my life has changed for the better and I'm loving life a lot more. DO IT!!

[@ramjobeshidef45]

It's like going from using a car to a bicycle. Nice try, though

[@crystallangan832]

For someone like me who doesn't have a computer at home to look things up, my smart phone comes in handy. When I need an alarm or a timer, my smart phone can do that. If I had a dumb phone, I couldn't check the most fuel efficient way to get to work like I do everyday. I couldn't check my email. But with that being said I didn't get my first phone till I was 13, first smart phone till I was 15. I wasn't allowed to be on KZbin for a while, and I didn't have Facebook or Instagram yet either. So I can see why for 11 year Olds this would make sense, they can't put down their phone to get simple tasks done, not they use it for every day things around the house...at almost 27.

[@utkarshsharma3022]

I got my first smartphone when I was like 8 and I haven't used one of those dumb phones before. I agree with how people (including me) can't put phones down to do simple tasks. I am too obsessed with my phone ig haha

[@Cathy-nz1gh]

This! I also don’t own a computer anymore, my smartphone does it for me. I couldn’t cope with going back to a dumb phone- l love taking photos and being able to listen to music and podcasts and read if I don’t have a book or kindle with me- especially since I can use the library app for free access to books

[@moonasha]

I personally barely use any of the "smart" features on my smart phone. For me it's a glorified iPod that I also use for studying. And that's it. No social media, no games (except roller coaster tycoon which is nice to play on the crapper)

[@papagen00]

I'm never going back to a 'dumb' phone. The key is moderation and self-control when using the smartphone. A smartphone, when used judiciously, will add safety and convenience to everyday life.

[@brianmatthews4323]

I'm 58 years old, and have lived my entire life without a smart phone, and most of it without a so called dumb phone, and I've done just fine without it.

[@dean4125]

I think 2011 is when I got my first smartphone. I was already 28 years old when smartphones were invented. Im so thankful I didnt grow up with smartphones. I grew up playing with toys, watching cartoons and playing outside in the 80's and 90's.

[@ZeeCH_Music]

Its weird to be called this a 'dumb phone' . I used to call this a "cellphone" / "cellular phone" / "flip phone"

[@1805movie]

Back then we just called them "cell phones".

[@peachkey2]

I used to have a tracfone that was like a knock off blackberry. It had a full keyboard and I loved it! All I needed to do was text and call. I would have kept using it but the company no longer supported it! They forced me to get a smartphone when I had been avoiding them from so long. I didn't think it was possible to keep using "dumb" phones anymore because phone services are cutting them off.

[@danashackleton3790]

Yes back to the basics. A lot of older people like me just can't keep up with the fast jumps in technology. I'm good with the 1st iPhone even

[@Beth9228]

I used to have a flip phone 10 years ago before my birthday in late July 2014. My first iPhone was a 5c in blue. I won’t go back towards a flip phone. I liked using an iPhone for playing music on, watching movies or videos, going on Facebook to see what are my friends are up too, and even send text messages. I preferred in using an iPhone because it is easy to used in number of years. My sister used an iPhone the longest than me. It is also easy to used an iPhone for texting. A flip phone takes a long time to send a text message.

[@stanberry4000]

Very minimal suicide amongst younger generation during the rise of Smartphones here in the Philippines. We wouldn't have imagined that just because of socmed influence, suicide rates would also rise.

[@creepingstage5147]

I love the denial of its the phone not social media

[@jonludwig3514]

Social media doesn't go to the bathroom or family dinner table with you. Facebook and Twitter were a different animal before the 2007 iPhone came out and its taken advantage of being at your side ever since. Snapchat and Instagram all came out after that date as well.

[@seadragon1456]

When people actually read the studies from around the world they’d see that social media truly has humans acting as rats. In multiple studies they have shown that rats preferred instant hits of dopamine rather than other Ds like black tar and white rock to be more specific. Rats had wires tapped into their brains and they’d starve themselves into deletion because they wanted the dopamine hit instead. The same dopamine that humans get when others “like” content or if they enjoy what they are viewing (TikTok.) Humans are the same way. These big apps aren’t for convenience. They are playing on the fact that humans chase the “good” feeling and become so lazy they don’t want to cook and feed themselves. They are tricked into thinking it’s convenient but it’s actually giving them hits just by allowing customization and submitting payment.

[@Benliftgus]

The best thing about the old phones was having a keypad like the Blackberry Torch

[@Beekeeper8011]

Just delete social media apps off your phone. There, I just saved you $300 on a feature phone.

[@helloworld963]

They come preinstalled...

[@Beekeeper8011]

@@helloworld963 naturally 🙄

[@v_spw4355]

@@helloworld963 uninstall them then? Lazy

[@helloworld963]

@@v_spw4355 sometimes they can't be uninstalled completely.

[@CJFS00s]

( 5:49 ) you know you can buy a “brick phone” with a full qwerty keyboard.

[@Cathy-nz1gh]

I’ve started using apps to limit my screen time so now I’ve got it down to only being able to readily access things like messages, camera, notes, music, podcasts, books. The internet, emails and social media are all stuck behind walls- either requiring something I have to bypass or simply inaccessible during certain times of the day. It’s working really well for me so far. It’s all about intentional use and making sure it’s not a boredom thing, it’s time limited and only for uses that benefit you

[@brbhave2p00p4]

Samsung needs to bring back it's flip phones with updated tech, saw a lot of them around 2003-2007

[@Nothinglefttosay]

lol lol I saw them in the early 90’s… you should’ve seen them.. Bricks

[@ninja.saywhat]

yeah around those years where my highschool and college years and nearly every classmates of mine with phones have flip phones. most were either motorola or samsung. i was the only one with a sliding phone a nokia 5300 😎

[@cancelled_user]

There is a video "The Anti-Smartphone Revolution" by Cold Fusion channel.

[@HelmuthGerka]

$380 are they crazy?

[@ilikecontent2327]

Yes, but then they want $800-$1,300 for a new smart phone which is also crazy! There should also be a movement towards more simplified cars and appliances as this would help with the chip shortage and help reduce the cost to purchase these items. 👍

[@epicswirl]

@@ilikecontent2327 a new smart phone has so many more conveniences outside of social media. You can also pick up an old iPhone for $300-$400

[@ilikecontent2327]

@@epicswirl That is true that you can pick up an older used phone for cheap. Or at least cheaper. I suppose for as long as the system is upgradable. It would behoove companies to have a budget phone that virtually anyone could afford. As far as how much a smart phone can do compared to these cheap ones... A lot. But then I can pick up a cheap small chrome book for much, much less than a phone and use that for what I need... There are alternatives and ways to save money. It would not be the worst thing in the world to not let a teen have a phone that can link them to possible predators, scammers, and/or all the false and missleading media news out there... Let alone the cruel remarks that teens can spew against each other on social networks. Parents would love that!

[@thepearlswirl]

Right 😂 complete insanity

[@lebagnard6018]

What I would like is a phone with basic needs. Google maps, emails, calls, texts and maybe a weather app.

[@keurikeuri7851]

I remember when I was a kid with my Nokia 3310 phone, we could message our friends without even looking at the keypad and only glance for a few seconds for their reply. This was one of the best ways of texting before to others while at the same time face up walking or acting like you're listening in class while your one hand was typing under you're table or inside your pocket. In my generation we memorized how to press every letter, that we can type full pharagraphs on our phone without even looking at it.

[@billylacharity3443]

I wouldn't mind a dumb phone, with a full keyboard. I text more than anything else, so being able to still text would be great and I would not look forward to the ancient ways of texting on old flip phones. When I started my "current" job back in 2007, I got a black berry, which was awesome, as it was basically like a dumb phone, but had that built in keyboard. I actually miss that.

[@downsjmmyjones101]

Same. I miss mechanical keyboards. I didn't have a Blackberry but a high school friend of mine did. It was a perfect combination of functions.

[@zaalnibu]

Low key been wanting to get a blackberry again but I wonder what support from the local carriers are like

[@RikuRicardo]

Blackberry is no longer supporting or making phones. Would not recommend.

[@ausboss20001]

@@RikuRicardo blackberry is awesome

[@XOPOIIIO]

I've never had a smartphone in my life. I was stubborn for so long so I like this trend.

[@farshimelt]

I've had a "dumb" phone for 30 yrs. I recently bought a cheap "smart" phone to listen to music while on a treadmill. Other than that, I have no use for one.

[@XOPOIIIO]

@@farshimelt I can listen music on my dumb phone.

[@Gullvivas]

@@XOPOIIIO HI,bUT then you are connected to the internet?

[@XOPOIIIO]

@@Gullvivas People were connected to the internet long before modern smartphones appeared.

[@Gullvivas]

@@XOPOIIIO I ment,you can not call your cellphone dumb,if it are connected to the internet! I was on internet the first time in 1996,but never used internet on any phones.

[@est9949]

I wanna ask the older people, what did office workers do pre-social media for a break? When you were waiting in line or commuting on a bus? I grew up without a smart phone but life as a kid is easier than adult. I could find lots of things to entertain myself such as reading and sports as I had lots of free time and zero worries. But it's harder as an adult, I have no time to read a whole book so I rely on things that I can listen to quickly such as short youtube videos. When your job is stressful you find a relief through social media. What's the alternative? My point is, smartphones aren't the root issue. The issue is we don't have an alternative activity to do for a stress relief or short breaks. Without smartphone I remember people in the past were addicted to TV, or drinking, smoking. etc. So the key is finding that healthy activity, which I don't have a clue what it could be. Any ideas? PS. Windows card games are the best: quick, fun, relaxing, and never tries to addict you. Don't you just miss software that does what it's supposed to do and nothing more?

[@milesirby3132]

I ordered a Nokia 6300 for my daily use through out my day. For when I have down time I have a 14 pro max, an iPad Pro I usually keep in my backpack. For my entertainment - music/ podcasts I have Apple Watch ultra, and air pods. Feature phones are an excellent daily driver.

[@qmld88]

While I believe social media is a problem, I do not think this is applicable long term: - Just checked out of the hotel, taxi is charging $30 to the airport, uber is $11. - Received a push notification of a fraud alert through my banking app for a charge and can apply a freeze or quickly take action. With a dumb phone, you might not even know of it and the reaction time to something so important regarding your financials could pose a problem Just a few examples I thought of in a second and I am sure there are absolutely more. This is a mental health issue and there are ways to limit use on the smartphone, just requires discipline.

[@morelikezz]

can't agree more. well said

[@be4unvme]

u gotta be lying, uber is way more expensive, no way in hell uber going to be 1/3 of taxi cab price

[@brianh9358]

For anyone who has an addictive personality "Just requires discipline" isn't a solution. They have to distance themselves from what causes the addiction. For example, I would never tell an alcoholic to go sit in a bar in order to develop the ability to not drink. If someone is constantly on their phone, watching KZbin, answering tweets, texting for almost all communication, playing games, etc. they are likely to be heavily addicted to the dopamine hits they are getting from the interaction. If this is taking over their life and becoming a problem, I would most certainly think using a simple phone would help. If you have never become addicted to something, you may not understand why it can be a problem staying close to the source of an addiction.

[@augustek5382]

@@be4unvmeI assume uber has an airport charge on top of this 11-dollar fee.

[@XVeganDaveGodFreeX]

You dont have a disease, you just rack a dicaprine. You all need more diciprine!

[@rpishyao629]

If there are smartphones that have physical buttons, especially the T9 layout I would like to buy one.

[@iEnzoTV]

I'm still using my Nokia e71 until now as company phone, for messaging and text. I think it depends on how we use our phone.

[@maxcalifornia94]

I had a candy bar cell phone when I was a kid. No camera. No texts. Just calls. This was on Cingular mobile. That shows how long ago this was….

[@Techno-Universal]

Dumb phones are also a great idea for kids and teens who are not yet mature enough to use social media while still allowing for them to stay in contact with family.

[@sootandstars]

The main issue is that banking and paying bills is now almost exclusively attached to smart phones.

[@jonathangonzalez7746]

You can always use a computer at home! Its great to not have ur banking info on your phone incase it gets stolen

[@Gertyutz]

I do all my online banking on my computers. Wouldn't trust a phone for anything financial.

[@honkhonkler7732]

Nah, I have a desktop.

[@wholeNwon]

My laptop but never my phone.

[@joeblow8206]

A tablet at home works best