State of the Dumbphone 2024 (READ THIS FIRST)

https://www.reddit.com/r/dumbphones/comments/18xm09m/state_of_the_dumbphone_2024_read_this_first/

created by jbriones95 on 03/01/2024 at 15:28 UTC*

632 upvotes, 54 top-level comments (showing 25)

First of all. Thank you for an amazing 2023! The community has grown so much and many are finding out about the benefits of disconnecting through transition devices, dumbed down smartphones, and full dumbphones!

2024 seems to be an excellent year for the community as more alternatives are coming. Last year we saw the release of Brick, Sunbeam F1 Pro, and TIQ Mini devices. It is exciting to see new companies come into the forefront and release products that help us protect our attention! More companies will release good products soon from what I am told :) It will also be a sad year due to 2G shutting down in the US and other countries. Many devices will be obsolete soon :(

• **Recommendations section will get updated every beginning of the quarter.***

Thus, before you ask for a recommendation, here are some things you should know:

• **There is no perfect dumbphone**. No one has created a phone tailored for your specific needs only. Therefore, you have two general options: customize or compromise.
• Customize: **If you need smart apps** (anything you can get from the Play Store or Appstore) such as Uber, Spotify, WhatsApp, etc, **you need an Android dumbphone.** Check the dumbphone finder[1] to understand what's available in your area and what design you like best. QWERTY keyboards are mostly available on Android at the moment. * If you check the box that says Spotify and WhatsApp, you'll be able to find phones that you can customize to install such apps. Phones with a touchscreen will be easier to navigate and install those apps. Otherwise, you need a virtual mouse. In order to install apps **for devices without a touchscreen**, here is a guide from apps4flip that you can follow.[2] **For devices with a touchscreen,** simply download an apk package from the web, put it on your device, click/tap on it, and follow the prompts. * Instead of you doing the work, you can also contract companies like Kosher Cell/Safe Phone[3]. They are able to install the apps you need for a fee and that's about it. For example, you can get one of their iPhones or Samsung phones and install 1 extra app like Spotify, but never be able to install anything else as they have restricted the functionality for you. They have a partnership with the dumbphone subreddit and there is a $15 discount if you use: DUMBPHONE15. * Finally, you can customize your smartphone and delete apps that you don't want and need. There are guides on the internet for that if you prefer to keep your smartphone form factor. Several companies (Ghost Mode[4], Lagomphone[5], Mnml[6]) have installed their custom OS on their phone and they have no app stores or limited appstores. They include the basics if you want something useful. Wisephone and Gabb wireless are another 2 options that are more geared towards simple uses. * You can purchase some of these basic phones from dumbwireless.com[7] and use code JOSE5 for 5% off. This is a partnership with the subreddit to keep this going and make it sustainable for all the resources we have here. You can alternatively purchase from Amazon, Light, Punkt, or Mudita stores but hey who doesn't like a 5% discount! * These devices are for lifestyle change. They invite you to reframe your mindset about your needs and slow down. Before purchasing, know what you are getting into. KaiOS, Light Phone, Punkt, etc., do not have very smart apps. They are made to be simple and have one or two extra functions that make your life a bit easier (GPS, Podcasts, Music), but no super fancy apps! Research before buying and then being disappointed. * If you want a Japanese Flip phone that looks good, check this post[8] * CAT S22 questions, look here: https://www.reddit.com/r/dumbphones/comments/1caoda7/a%5C_place%5C_to%5C_go%5C_for%5C_cats22%5C_information%5C_on%5C_this%5C_sub/[9][10]

My recommendations:

1: https://dumbphonefinder.com/

2: https://www.apps4flip.com/installation/

3: https://safephone.org/collections/all

4: https://ghostmode.us/

5: https://lagomphone.com/

6: https://www.minml.io/

7: https://www.dumbwireless.com/discount/jose5

8: https://www.reddit.com/r/dumbphones/comments/14qky1j/a_consolidatedish_guide_to_owning_a_japanese_flip/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=2

9: https://www.reddit.com/r/dumbphones/comments/1caoda7/a%5C_place%5C_to%5C_go%5C_for%5C_cats22%5C_information%5C_on%5C_this%5C_sub/

10: https://www.reddit.com/r/dumbphones/comments/1caoda7/a_place_to_go_for_cats22_information_on_this_sub/

• Use what you already have: * Learn ADB for android phones and know how to customize it. You can disable tons of apps and make a good device for you. If you don't have the income to purchase a brand-new phone, learn to customize the one you have. Unpluq[11] for android can be helpful here too. * For iOS users, parental controls or screen time can be your friend. Just allow someone else to set up the passcode and boom you have hardened restrictions. You can also change the way your home screen looks with the Smile Launcher: https://www.producthunt.com/products/smile-app-launcher[12][13] * Another option is to take a look into this guide: https://web.archive.org/web/20230208184957/https://old.reddit.com/user/No%5C_Donkey6275/comments/10x60vj/my%5C_smartphone%5C_got%5C_dumbphoned%5C_iphone%5C_12%5C_edition/[14][15] * Finally, Unpluq is releasing their iOS app soon so make sure to check them out at https://unpluq.com/iphone[16]. A competitor for iOS is Brick (https://getbrick.app/[17]) * Check out this list of crowdsourced information on dumbphones: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1gkQCVljsFRwz7T3ktKztBXMX3gD8mieilTQuiYKW0UA/edit#heading=h.aaplb6hi44r9[18][19]
• For customization: * LG Classic Flip[20] * CAT S22[21] * Alt Mive Style Folder[22] * Kyocera DuraXV[23] (Check this comprehensive guide for customizing it: **https://youtu.be/JvH7xY4onjM[24])** * Jelly 2[25] (Although a smartphone, being so small is way less distracting) * Opel Touch Flip for Australians. * Xiaomi F21 or F22 for Europe/Asia/LATAM/Africa * TCL Flip 2[26] * Hisense A9 (e-ink smartphone makes it less appealing)
• For Compromise: * Nokia 2780[27] * Light Phone 2[28] * Sunbeam F1 Pro[29]

A final word: There is no perfect phone as I said in the beginning, but the dumbphone journey is worth it. Find what works for you, stick to it for a good minute, and create workarounds for what does not work. Good luck on 2024 and hope this post was helpful.

11: https://www.unpluq.com/

12: https://www.producthunt.com/products/smile-app-launcher

13: https://www.producthunt.com/products/smile-app-launcher

14: https://web.archive.org/web/20230208184957/https://old.reddit.com/user/No%5C_Donkey6275/comments/10x60vj/my%5C_smartphone%5C_got%5C_dumbphoned%5C_iphone%5C_12%5C_edition/

15: https://web.archive.org/web/20230208184957/https://old.reddit.com/user/No_Donkey6275/comments/10x60vj/my_smartphone_got_dumbphoned_iphone_12_edition/

16: https://unpluq.com/iphone

17: https://getbrick.app/

18: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1gkQCVljsFRwz7T3ktKztBXMX3gD8mieilTQuiYKW0UA/edit#heading=h.aaplb6hi44r9

19: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1gkQCVljsFRwz7T3ktKztBXMX3gD8mieilTQuiYKW0UA/edit#heading=h.aaplb6hi44r9

20: https://amzn.to/3PGGPde

21: https://amzn.to/41RAi5l

22: https://ebay.us/v5oQsu

23: https://amzn.to/3BLFH28

24: https://youtu.be/JvH7xY4onjM

25: https://amzn.to/3PDuma0

26: https://amzn.to/48mmWAw

27: https://amzn.to/41KccJK

28: https://www.thelightphone.com/products?ref=josebriones

29: https://sunbeamwireless.com/by/dumbphones

Comments

Comment by SBB-1969 at 03/01/2024 at 16:22 UTC

99 upvotes, 3 direct replies

Thank you u/jbriones95 for all that you do for the community. I am excited to be receiving my new Sunbeam F1 Pro in a few days. 2024 is the year I will simplify my life.

Comment by Flat_Income1123 at 05/01/2024 at 03:14 UTC

48 upvotes, 2 direct replies

Thank you for freeing me from my smartphone. I now spend way more time with my kid without distractions from life's clutter. And I read more!

Comment by furbtasticworksofart at 04/03/2024 at 16:52 UTC

35 upvotes, 3 direct replies

Thank you all so much for your help. I've been struggling with cell phone addiction, and seeing this subreddit is what finally helped push me free of it. Y'all are lovely and incredibly informative, and I hope that more people can join the DumbPhone movement, and be free of doomscrolling mobile hell.

I also didn't realize how much Iphones were contributing to overstimulation (I have autism) without me being aware of it. I feel so much more present and aware of my limits, whereas before the constant buzz just sort of fried my brain and made it much harder to recognize my needs and gave me constant anxiety. Not to mention, the wonderful sensory experience of a flip phone delights me to no end.

"High efficiency" comes at a serious human cost, and taking the time to slow down and live has reminded me of the fact I am human. Thank you all, so so much.

Comment by wanderingfloatilla at 04/01/2024 at 05:12 UTC

19 upvotes, 2 direct replies

I just moved to the Jelly Star today and it's pretty great. I opted to not download most apps except for some audio ones and bank apps. I'm choosing instead to use the browser for things, it's a small change but a change nonetheless. New year new habits

Comment by leethecowboy at 03/03/2024 at 02:28 UTC

15 upvotes, 1 direct replies

For people who want a flip phone that does calls/texts really well, some websites in a pinch, and not much else, I strongly recommend the Sonim XP3. It's my everyday phone -- it won't do ANY external apps, which I like. Really fast interface, no KaiOS, no ads, no junk. It has good calls, a loud ringer, a headphone jack, T9 predictive texting, 4G, runs a hotspot if you need it...

SUPER durable. Closes with screws. You can replace/repair parts. You can insert dual sim or a microSD with music. It has clicky buttons and is completely waterproof, so you can wipe it off / dunk it in sanitizer no problem. I covered mine in little stickers and added a cute charm bracelet to the handle.

Comment by Botanical-angel-993 at 03/01/2024 at 23:12 UTC

11 upvotes, 1 direct replies

Would love it if someone bought one of the Ashata flip phones off of Amazon and did a review! They look like Japanese flip phones with supposedly the functionality of a dumb phone.

Comment by Large_Commission_562 at 04/01/2024 at 19:00 UTC

10 upvotes, 2 direct replies

Hello. If I wanted to "dumb" down but I had logins that require authentication, what are my options? Guessing I would need an Android dumb phone

Comment by [deleted] at 05/01/2024 at 20:53 UTC

7 upvotes, 0 direct replies

I purchased a Brick device last year. It’s pretty great for what it is and very simple to set up and use. I can’t recommend it enough.

Comment by poofycade at 25/03/2024 at 06:59 UTC

6 upvotes, 4 direct replies

I just want a dumb phone with a qwert keyboard. Whats my options

Comment by vin_van_go at 21/01/2024 at 03:55 UTC

6 upvotes, 2 direct replies

went with the light phone II, been waiting to pull the trigger on a dumb phone for a few years. I almost went with the F1 but something about their premium service offered gave me the wrong impression. I really like the mission of going light, i think they nailed it. Looking forward to some tool updates, perhaps a spotify api, ideally a simple notepad would really fit.  Thanks OP for the write up!

Comment by AstrumFaerwald at 12/07/2024 at 21:20 UTC

5 upvotes, 2 direct replies

Any people find success at using a flip phone + tablet combo? In the past I had a supplemental tablet that I used significantly less than my smartphone.

My thinking is to have a flip phone for basic phone-based purposes while keeping music, maps, WhatsApp, and banking/roomba/other utilities relegated to my tablet.

Comment by InigoMarz at 06/01/2024 at 12:03 UTC

4 upvotes, 0 direct replies

I’m still waiting for Lightphone to support Philippines carriers and for Punkt to allow for shipping to The Philippines :( they both look really cool. I’ll still use my iPhone though for at least navigating and some communication apps (Messenger, Viber, Telegram)

Comment by PositiveReason812 at 08/01/2024 at 18:52 UTC

5 upvotes, 2 direct replies

Surprised the HIT K1 did not make the short list. AFAIK it's the only hideaway-QWERTY-keyboard phone on the market. I have one. The phone part isn't as good as say the Sonim XP5s but the keyboard is great.

Dumbphone finder: I looked into the light phone but it says it needs a data connection to function properly. I was surprised because even an Android smart phone works fine without data. Do you have information which phones require a data connection?

Comment by [deleted] at 21/01/2024 at 02:39 UTC*

4 upvotes, 3 direct replies

Curious why the Nokia 2780 over the Nokia 225. Based on searches the Nokia 225 is more stable. Sounds like there are quite a number of issues with the 2780 over the 225 like double texts for instance. Can you provide some more insight?

Edit: my 2780 just arrived about half an hour ago. I'm gonna be honest. It's smooth. I like it a lot. The predictive text is nice, UI is quick as a whip

Comment by Tarlak-333 at 26/03/2024 at 17:56 UTC

4 upvotes, 1 direct replies

The TCL Flip 2 is NOT a dumb phone. (I just got one of these for my son) You can send/receive texts with pictures, you can surf the internet, you can send/receive email on this thing. (None of this can be turned off even if you have a plan with 0min of data and you don't connect it to Wifi). I need something basic for a child that can make/receive calls and do "text" texts only, please help!

Tarlak333

Comment by Accomplished_Bat750 at 03/04/2024 at 07:24 UTC

4 upvotes, 2 direct replies

I’m honestly just looking for a phone that isn’t hideous, has spotify, texts and calls fine, and has a headphone adapter. that’s literally all i need it for.

Comment by bbgarnett at 21/04/2024 at 03:23 UTC*

5 upvotes, 0 direct replies

Hello, my grandpa is really struggling with his smartphone. He often messes up some settings or inadvertently blocks contacts. He mentioned he probably wants to switch back to a flip phone; we have AT&T. My question is, is there a way to turn his phone (Moto G7 Play) into a dumbphone? I want to lock him out of the settings portion of the phone and prevent him from accidentally blocking contacts or turning on airplane mode, or anything else that might prevent someone from reaching him. He also tends to delete text message threads, so maybe preventing him from doing that would be helpful. the only apps he uses are Phone, Messages, Contacts, Camera sparingly and he has Visual Voicemail setup but never uses it to listen to a message. Also the other thing he does is when people text him he won't actually go and read the whole message and only reads the portion that shows up in the notification and so one time his brother sent him a message and he only read what showed up in the notification bar and he thought he was coming for a visit, His Brother lives in Seattle my Grandpa Rural Minnesota so he was waiting and waiting expecting him to show up only to realize had he read the whole message he was talking about something completely different.

Thanks

Comment by Realistic-Square-758 at 04/07/2024 at 19:03 UTC

5 upvotes, 1 direct replies

Lightphone would be perfect if they weren't wanting $799 retail for it. $400 is understandable but a $400 niche tax for having the audacity to not preorder is laughable.

Comment by Astrospal at 15/04/2024 at 20:27 UTC

3 upvotes, 1 direct replies

I have a Jelly Star from Unihertz (very small screen), and I have dumbed it down, made it very minimalist, never been happier. I have all the functions and tools I need, when I need them, but I cut all of the noise and distraction.

Comment by Murphthe at 20/04/2024 at 15:02 UTC

3 upvotes, 2 direct replies

I really want one but my kids are young and I’d love to be able to take pics. Any dumb phones with a camera. For light phone how does podcasts work if you use Spotify

Comment by Silent_Forever_9265 at 02/05/2024 at 19:54 UTC

3 upvotes, 3 direct replies

Thanks for this, very helpful!

I have an iPhone13 and I would prefer keeping it, only with less apps. The most annoying is that I can't delete the Safari app. I have to have some apps (banking/financial apps, and a few others). I'll check out the links you provided in your post about the options for IOS.

I have set a limit (screen time) for how long I can use Safari, but unfortunately I override it more than I feel comfortable with.

Very happy to have found this subreddit.

Comment by catjewsus at 26/06/2024 at 07:41 UTC

3 upvotes, 0 direct replies

HMD which is a new Subbrand by Nokia is making dumbphones for the modern market. Seems like companies are deeming the dumbphone movement valuable enough start building new devices for the segment. They're non-high performance chips w/ simple interfaces and minimal smartphone functions other than just to get in touch w/ the people that matter and simple message based social interactions.

Feature Phones by HMD. Compare Basic Mobiles by Price

Comment by No_Switch_666 at 29/06/2024 at 16:37 UTC*

3 upvotes, 0 direct replies

I have tried a dumb phone and it has just been too impractical for me + I lost a lot of social opportunities because of it.

Let's say it was just.. too dumb...

The solution I found is -> take a smart phone (Android) and just make it however dumb you want it yourself:

1. Downloaded all the essential apps I wanted on my phone (maps, banking apps, whatsapp, Uber, AirBnB, etc.)

2. Deleted all the rest I saw as a distraction (web browser, social media apps, games,...)

3. Deleted both the galaxy and google playstore through my computer using debloater software (more info below), so you're not tempted in redownloading the apps.

Result: I still have a very practical phone and my screen time has gone down with 80% without any inconvenience, effort or discipline. Although I have to say, at times, I'm now scrolling more randomly through my own old pictures or messaging people more through whatsapp or that kinda stuff..

Still feels like a huge win for me.

Upsides:

• You don't need another phone or any monthly subscription. (it has become a business and it's honestly a rip off.)
• customize your phone to however dumb/smart you want yourself.

Downsides:

• The process is reversible (also upside of course), although the barrier to redownload the app stores and junk apps is higher (you also need you computer), I imagine some people might get tempted to still do it.
• Once in a while you have to upgrade apps, so you have to reinstall the app store through your computer, upgrade it and uninstall the app store again.
• Some apps (not that many) or subscriptions don't work if you don't have the app store installed.
• In case you uninstall all web browsers: some apps require a web browser to function properly.

How to install and use debloater for Android:

https://github.com/0x192/universal-android-debloater[1][2]

1: https://github.com/0x192/universal-android-debloater

2: https://github.com/0x192/universal-android-debloater

Hope this can be helpful to some.

Comment by UrszulaG at 04/01/2024 at 16:50 UTC

2 upvotes, 0 direct replies

Thank you for putting out such a comprehensive list!

Comment by petergaskin814 at 10/01/2024 at 08:31 UTC

2 upvotes, 0 direct replies

How good are the cheap Motorola phones? A cheap Motorola is now available for AUD 249. Is this model any good?