From Apple to Oppo, most smartphone makers are chasing the high of being the most “feature-packed” device of them all but counterintuitively, dumbphones are gaining popularity. You might find yourself scratching your head wondering why dumbphones are trending, and the answer is the Millenials’ and Gen Zers’ attempt at a digital detox. The current generation of youngsters are constantly accused of being chronically online and for the most part, they tend to fulfill the criteria.
Despite the stereotype, however, GenZers are also more committed to creating a barrier between themselves and the digital world. From rejecting dating apps to returning to basic phones, the community of users appears determined to show us that it is okay to step away from technology every once in a while.
Image: The BoringPhone
“Dumbphones Are Gaining Popularity,” They Say, but What Does That Mean?
If the word “dumbphone” is unfamiliar to you, let’s start with the basics. The term refers to a phone that only offers the most basic of functions that one might expect from the “smartphone” we know and love today. Think of the early days of the indestructible Nokia brick phones and boxy Motorolas. Earlier versions of the portable phones performed the bare minimum functions and had only a limited number of distractions like the pixelated snake game.
These devices were only useful as tools of communication and basic calculation and as a result, there was little reason to spend time on these devices. With the smartphones we have today, there are an infinite number of apps that promise to keep you glancing at your screen every few minutes or for hours at a stretch. The addictive nature and destructive capabilities of present-day smartphones are the primary reasons for the dumbphone trend.
There are also growing concerns about the constant invasion of privacy that occurs every second on a smartphone and the increased risk of mental health issues facilitated by social media. Exhausted by the drawbacks of being digital natives, users are stepping back from modern-day technology.
The “Newtro” Trend Can Also Be Linked to Dumbphones Gaining Popularity
Gen Z’s digital detox is not the only explanation for why dumbphones are trending. There has been a recent resurgence of retro gadgets and technology, which has encouraged people to try out outdated gadgets with updated hardware and software. Vinyl records have made a comeback and so have flip phones. Wired earphones and analog cameras are also having their moment, and this seems to be just as good a time as any to bring back retro phones.
The “Newtro” trend is a combination of new and retro elements, which when put together, bring forth the nostalgia of old technology while combining them with the advances we have made in our capabilities ever since. The trend isn’t just restricted to technology but can be seen in fashion and lifestyle changes as well.
Trendy Dumbphone Brands Now Make It Appealing to Sport Basic Phones
The launch of the Nothing brand was a great turning point in the legacy of smartphones, where consumers realized that a simple, minimalist smartphone was quite enough for their daily needs. While the brand still remains a small one, the fact that it was able to gain a following at all suggested that there is a market for more straightforward phones.
The Nothing series of gadgets still falls under the umbrella of “smart technology,” however, and cannot be included in the dumbphone trend. We have alternatives like the Boring Phone and the Light Phone for recent brands that have fully embraced the simplistic phone philosophy. It is the marketing of these brands that has bolstered consumer interest in the dumbphones and their limited capabilities.
Truthfully, these devices can be extremely frustrating and impractical to use in an era when we rely on our smartphones to do everything from navigation to banking. Our smartphones are essential companions in the modern world, which is why most believe that the dumbphone trend will remain a temporary fad.
It is too early to predict how long these dumbphones will stay relevant, especially when the majority of smartphone brands are prioritizing overconsumption and addiction over all else. It is also quite impractical for manufacturers to invest in producing these phones for a small audience when they could put their money towards manufacturing products with a wider user base.
Despite the inevitability of the decline in these devices, what we can say with certainty is that we will always hold space for such deviations in technology amidst the mad rush to “do more.”