Good morning,

Apple just announced some big changes to their phones, focused on AI. I can remember getting my first iPhone, how excited I was and how much it changed my life. Looking back on that moment, it’s hard not to feel a sense of dread, that a certain way of life was over. Once I got an iPhone, I never went back.

But some people are going back, to a time where the phone was a little less smart…

That plus more in today’s edition:

• 📱The rise of dumbphones

• 🧱 How to make your phone more dumb

• ⌛️ Phone innovation?

Also, stay tuned for our first work-focused edition next week. We’ll be doing more of those in the future, so you can use Log Off both at the job and in your personal life.

Happy logging off!

— Geoff Sharpe, co-founder

Are dumbphones the answer to our phone problems?

Back in 12th grade I had a cell phone. It would be unrecognizable to many of you now. A sturdy, plastic flip device, it featured little pushable button letters for supposedly quick texting friends.

It didn’t email and it didn’t have internet. It was for texting and calling, little else. Nowadays, we’d call that a dumbphone. A few years later I bought the second generation iPhone and never looked back.

Every societal trend sows the seeds of its own backlash. Something takes over our lives, we recognize the problems, and a small subset of people are brave enough to challenge it. Dumbphones are one answer to our smartphone fixations.

And they’re making a comeback.

My curiosity on the subject was piqued after seeing a Business Insider story touting a new Barbie-branded phone geared towards online addicted teens. No touchscreen, it’s a classic flip phone with an MP3 player, camera and basic texting. Archaic!

The idea is simple: break our dependency on smartphones by reducing their power at the source. Dumber phones, fewer features, less distractions.  Rather than rely on our own perseverance or will power, (which, let’s face it, is near-on impossible as the phone buzzes away in our pocket), we limit our access to the technology itself. It’s like swapping out cigarettes with nicotine gum.

Surprisingly, it’s not nostalgic grandpas pining for simpler times who are driving the shift to dumbphones—it’s Gen Z. The generation raised on the internet. The most tech-savvy generation, is choosing to disconnect, what does that say about the rest of us?

They are seeking more authentic ways to engage in the world, recognizing the problems smartphones play in their lives. Research says around 16% of them are using these phones. In my social circle I have yet to see anyone adopt them, so good on people today for trying.

All mainstream news outlets are catching onto the trend. The New Yorker, The Economist, everyone is talking about it. Fast Company even asked if we’ve reached peak dumbphone mania. Hardly.

A New York Times interview highlighted a small group of teens who started a Luddite Club in Brooklynn. One interesting takeaway was the pressure the parents put on them to be able to track their kids and keep them safe, a much harder challenge without a smart device.

• That’s a key problem for anyone looking to reduce their reliance on cell phones. Not only do you have to manage your own habits, there are social interactions outside your control, constantly pressuring you to conform.

Yet, the challenge isn’t just adopting a dumbphone, it’s finding them. A BBC story noted that few companies want to make them, because the profit margin is so miniscule compared to smartphones.

Some companies are moving in to fill the space, even odd ones. Heinkein and fashion retailer Bodega have teamed up to create a retro flip phone, designed for an easy night out without connectivity.

A company called BoringPhone launched a waitlist for a new device that they say is designed to reduce time, though Reddit DumbPhone users were quick to say that most of those features were already possible with an existing phone.

They may in fact be more popular than you think. Around 20% of the world’s dumbphones are actually in the US, a surprising number considering the prevalence of smart devices. Some of that may be due to the economic reality, that smartphones are expensive phones, and may in fact be a flight to cheaper alternatives.

Like most revolutions, it’s a small group that lead the way, embracing niche ideas that become more popular. Dumbphone users may be the vanguard, early revolutionaries destined for ridicule in the short term but potentially laying a permissive structure for the majority to embrace.

Generation Z’s embrace of dumbphones is one of the most hopeful trends in an otherwise bleak outlook for disconnecting. As the saying goes, maybe the kids are alright.

TIPS & TRICKS

Simple ways to replicate a dumbphone with your smartphone

Before I even share them, a caveat — most of us use our phones for work purposes, so converting to a dumbphone really isn’t possible. Speaking for myself, I need email and (unfortunately) social media for my job.

But that doesn’t mean you can’t integrate small changes that force you to change your habits. These small changes can add up over time.

Here are a few tips you can use to replicate the dumbphone experience. Most phone operating systems can do these things.

1. Make your screen black and white. Making your screen slightly less enjoyable to use is a small step, and killing colour is one of those things. The Verge breaks down how to do it for most devices.

2. Create app friction. One simple thing I’ve done is remove social apps like Twitter, which forces me to use an inferior web interface. It creates more friction when using them, and reduces the positive experience.

3. Install Appblock. Using apps to solve app addiction? We aren’t luddites, so we’re all for that here. This app is a useful tool to really dig into your phone usage and place smart limits on ways you waste time

ONE BIG STORY

New phone launches show it’s all about time

The story: Two competing stories caught my attention this week. Apple announced that AI would form the main part of their new iPhone, and Huawei launched a new trifold screen phone that unfolds into a 10.2 inch screen.

The problem: While both seem to be, on the face of it, different, they are tackling the same problem — how to get you to spend time with their product.

For Apple, it’s seamlessly integrating AI so that you increasingly rely on it for everyday tasks. You can see how this might evolve… Rather than respond to someone with a message, AI prompts could replace it.

For Huawei, it’s a better, more enjoyable device experience. Why put down the phone when the screen is big enough to enjoy a movie?

• Yes, but: To take the alternative view, one might argue that AI could result in us spending more time with people and less on our phone, by reducing tasks and seamlessly making everything easier. One Medium user notes that AI has helped reduce their cognitive load, through things like querying up recipes rather than spending so much time finding one online.

Why this matters to you: For Apple specifically, AI is about to become a whole lot bigger in our lives. It may improve little things, but if you care about disconnecting, you will want to stay vigilant so you don’t end up relying too much on it. The last thing anyone wants is AI replies replying to AI, replying to AI… Well you get the picture.

RESOURCE & RECOMMENDATIONS

• The desire for smartphones is there, but few companies are making them. Here’s why.

• Kids are a big target of dumbphones. If you’re a parent, then this guide can help you choose the best option

• For everyone else, this guide has options for iPhone replacement, designer phones, flip phones and many more

• Wired has an entire story on the Reddit community I mentioned Dumbphone. It’s short and sweet.

• Apple’s AI (which I’m sure we’ll write about soon) made this person want to give up their smartphone.

• One reviewer shares their experience with the Light Phone 2. It must be at least okay, since they’ve used it for other two years

COMMUNITY CORNER

How much time do you spend on your phone?

Last edition, we asked readers how much time they spend on their mobile devices each week. That’s a lot of hours!

Here’s what readers shared:

Reader: The phone usage fulfills different goals: I read books, I learn from videos and I waste time on socials. The first two are ok but not the latter.

Geoff: This is a great point. Smartphones pack a lot of useful tools—you’ve got a camera, a radio, even a weatherman in your pocket. But they also come with time-sucks like games and social media.

We often see two extremes: either quit using phones altogether or accept that distractions and the negatives are inevitable. Neither approach is particularly helpful, and they don’t leave room for healthier habits in our tech-filled world. That’s exactly what we’re exploring with this newsletter: how to build better habits and use phones without letting them be the boss.

Reader: I typically listen to Audible books from my phone, and podcasts when driving or walking the dog. So my number is usually higher. I also sometimes listen to music or do a sleep meditation from my phone when going to bed. I don't count any of these activities as exclusive to the phone, just made more convenient through one device. I count phone time as email, internet activities, social media.

Geoff: Count me as someone who listens to a lot of podcasts while walking the dog! While it’s certainly a better form of content consumption, I’ve found myself unplugging entirely every so often. I’ve discovered I notice more things and am generally more present. I wouldn’t suggest you do this all the time, but try leaving the phone at home every so often, you’ll be surprised at how you feel afterwards.