It’s extremely easy to feel overwhelmed by the amount of technology we immerse ourselves in these days, which is why it’s no wonder that feature phones are making a comeback. The dumb phone resurgence is one we’ve spoken about before, but there’s so much to love about the ability to dial it back and take a look at our tech-obsessed lives that we had to delve into the topic again.
With the emphasis on AI in particular, smartphone makers have grown obsessed with providing the best tools possible, simplifying your life by complicating it further. Even with the budget releases from every brand, like the Pixel 9a, iPhone 16e, or the Galaxy A56, we’re still expecting to see fancy cameras, gaming capabilities, and AI tools in every app. The overconsumption and need for “more” with every purchase are worse for us than we realize. This is precisely why feature phones are making a comeback.
Image: Punkt. MP02
We Need to Embrace the Feature Phones Comeback and Take a Step Back from Tech
The rise of minimalistic tech is something we saw with brands like Humane AI and Rabbit R1, where these companies attempted to replace smartphones with a screen-free experience. While the intention behind these options was good, these brands attempted to replace functional tech with incomplete offerings that never took off.
This is why we’re seeing these digital detox feature phones have much better success in replacing the modern-day smartphone with something that is still functional.
What Are Feature Phones?
A feature phone, dumb phone, or a brick phone is a mobile phone that limits itself to the basic functions of such a device, for example, allowing calling and texting. These devices limit their design and function to the phones we previously had in the early 2000s, making them a more primitive version of the smartphones we have today.
These feature phones typically showcase buttons instead of touchscreens and don’t support third-party app integrations. Some newly released dumb phones have more advanced features and systems, but they are also essential contributors to the rise of minimalist tech.
Why Are Dumb Phones Popular Again?
If you’re wondering why feature phones are making a comeback right now, one of the first contributors is AI technology. Many users have become frustrated with the inclusion of AI in all of their smartphone activity. These features are riddled with flaws, and every time you use them, it can feel like you’re solely providing training material for these AI bots to get better at other tasks.
Our Smartphone Addiction Is Getting Out of Hand
The AI obsession aside, smartphones themselves have become extremely addictive. Most of us have obscenely high screen times despite being busy at work all day. This suggests that many users spend a large amount of their limited screen time scrolling on social media, reading gossip columns, and generally spending it on things that hurt us in the long run.
Under such circumstances, digital detox feature phones have too little to offer in terms of apps and engaging content, forcing users to engage with their life in other ways. It’s the best way to keep the brain rot away and fix your mental health.
Rise of Minimalist Tech and Need for Simplicity
Just like the rest of the K-drama addicts out there, we’ve been streaming When Life Gives You Tangerines and dreaming of a simple life. Even if you haven’t watched the show, which is its own travesty, we’re sure you can agree that we could benefit from simplifying our lives a little bit.
Smartphones have become our link to the outside world in many ways, whether by allowing us to do our grocery shopping or helping us find a cab back home. These features are useful and essential to modern living, but tapping away on your smartphone for every little need instead of asking questions is not necessarily healthy. The resurgence of the dumb phone is tied to many users’ desire for simplicity.
Living In the Moment Within Recording Everything for Later
Videos and photographers are amazing ways to preserve moments for the future, but we’re often more caught up in the act of preserving rather than experiencing the moment. We’re so obsessed with recording moments that we’re now exploring smart glasses that can watch your life with you. Sure, there could be some benefits of using them, particularly for those who are differently abled, but their primary use is still a shortsighted one.
There has been a lot of talk about the decline of concert culture and how it’s turned into more of a photo opportunity than anything else. If you’re one of those people who complain about this trend, it’s best you commit to the cause and cut out the complex smartphone from your life in exchange for a feature phone that’ll give you a bunch of blurry images to remember the event by.
Image: Nokia 3210
Feature Phone Recommendations: Smartphone Alternatives to Try in 2025
Feature phones are becoming popular again, but you shouldn’t succumb to making a purchase solely because it’s a trend—it can be extremely difficult and off-putting to try and use these phones when you’re already accustomed to your smartphone. We need to be able to check our emails on the go for work or glances at our apps to see how our investments are performing minute by minute. Not everyone can afford a clean break right now, and that’s fair.
But if you are in a position where you can give this digital detox a shot, there are some feature phone recommendations you can consider right now.
- Best feature phone overall – Nokia 3210
- Feature phone with the most apps features — Balance Phone
- Best for UPI support – Nokia 235 4G
- Best minimalist phone – Punkt. MP02
- Best looking feature phone – The Boring phone by Heineken x Bodega (limited release)
- Best flip phone – Doro 6880
- Good flip phone alternative – TCL Flip 3
- Simplest feature phone – Doro Leva X10
- Special mention — Nokia 2660 flip
The Balance Phone is the best option for someone who still needs access to the essential apps but wants to block out the unnecessary distractions out.
Final Thoughts on Feature Phones
Will the return to feature phones be a temporary trend? It’s possible. At the moment, retro gadgets are making a comeback, and we’re even seeing modernized versions of old gaming consoles for those who want an immersive, nostalgia-powered gaming experience. All of these gadgets may appeal to a few people before they go out of style again, but for the moment, there appears to be a very real shift towards simple phones with a long battery life.
If you’re considering contributing to the dumb phone’s resurgence, we’d recommend doing so if you have a genuine interest and not only to increase the number of unused products lying around your house. If you’ve already made the shift to a brick phone or a feature phone, come back and tell us about your experience with the device.