Dumbphones have very limited functions compared to an iPhone. You can only make and receive calls and messages. And, if you are lucky-listen to radio and take very basic photos, but absolutely not connect to the internet or apps.
Dumbphones are enjoying a comeback. Google searches for them increased by 89% between 2018 and 2021. Meanwhile, a study said that one in 10 mobile phone users in the UK had a dumbphone. Kaiwei Tang, CEO of Light Phone, a maker of dumbphones said that, surprisingly, the company's main customers are aged between 25 and 35. He says he expected buyers to be much older.
Sandra Wachter, a researcher at Oxford University, says that it's easy to see why some of us are looking for simpler mobile phones. One can reasonably say that nowadays a smart phone's ability to connect calls and send messages is almost a side function. Your smart phone is your entertainment centre, your newspaper, your map, your diary, and your wallet. They always want to catch your attention with notices and latest news.
"If aliens came to earth they'd think that mobile phones are the creatures controlling human beings," Mr. Tang says. "It's not going to stop. Instead, it's getting worse. Consumers are realizing that something is wrong, and we want to offer a choice. "
Last year, Przemek Olejniczak, changed his smartphone for a dumphone at first for its longer-lasting battery. However, he soon realized there were other benefits. "Before I would always be checking, going through the news or other facts I didn't need to know," he says. "Now I have more time for my family and myself. And I'm not addicted to liking, sharing, or describing my life to other people. I have more privacy. "
Yet back in London, Robin West says that many people are confused by her choice of mobile. "Everyone thinks it's just a short-term thing. They're always asking me: 'So when are you getting a smartphone? Are you getting one this week?' '
