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Dumb Phones Are on the Rise in the US (cnbc.com) 103

Dumb phones may be falling out of fashion on a global scale, but it's a different story in the U.S. From a report: Companies like HMD Global, the maker of Nokia phones, continue to sell millions of mobile devices similar to those used in the early 2000s. This includes what's known as "feature phones" -- traditional flip or slide phones that have additional features like GPS or a hotspot. "I think you can see it with certain Gen Z populations -- they're tired of the screens," said Jose Briones, dumb phone influencer and moderator of the subreddit, "r/dumbphones." "They don't know what is going on with mental health and they're trying to make cutbacks."

In the U.S., feature flip phone sales were up in 2022 for HMD Global, with tens of thousands sold each month. At the same time, HMD's global feature phone sales were down, according to the company. In 2022, almost 80% of feature phone sales in 2022 came from the Middle East, Africa and India, according to Counterpoint Research. But some see that number shifting, as a contingency of young people in the U.S. revert back to dumb or minimalist phones. "In North America, the market for dumb phones is pretty much flatlined," said Moorhead. "But I could see it getting up to 5% increase in the next five years if nothing else, based on the public health concerns that are out there."

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Dumb Phones Are on the Rise in the US

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  • by Frank Burly ( 4247955 ) on Friday March 31, 2023 @01:44PM (#63414874)
    Is a flip phone that can play vinyl
    • by The-Ixian ( 168184 ) on Friday March 31, 2023 @02:05PM (#63414940)

      I am just so annoyed with having to lug a brick around with me everywhere. I always go for the smallest form factor smart phones that I can, but I don't want to buy cheap Amazon garbage either.

      Don't get me wrong, I do like having my podcast player and a few other apps as well as tap-to-pay (NFC) but I just wish the whole thing could be smaller. I don't use social media nor do I need to do video editing on my phone. I don't watch content so I don't really ever need to have a big screen, but that seems to be what drives sales over everything else these days.

      I am really looking forward to Google's foldable (I am a Pixel user for the security updates and "stock Android" experience) so that I can get down to a pocket sized form factor.

      • I don't have any problem with my smart phone (iPhone).

        Then again, I don't have any social media accounts nor apps...

        How is it impossible for the youngsters wanting dumb phones to get a smart one and not put the crap on it that causes mental anguish?

        • Re: (Score:2, Insightful)

          How is it impossible for the youngsters wanting dumb phones to get a smart one and not put the crap on it that causes mental anguish?

          It turns out that self-control and willpower are in severely restricted supply these days.

        • Then again, I don't have any social media accounts nor apps...

          My father still uses his iPhone like it's 2007, too. (In case there's any GenZers who don't get it, the iPhone originally shipped without 3rd party app support.) He has the current-gen SE model that his carrier gave him as a free upgrade (yes, actually free, the plan isn't any cheaper if you don't want the phone) so he wouldn't have saved any money by going with a lesser phone.

          • by tlhIngan ( 30335 )

            My father still uses his iPhone like it's 2007, too. (In case there's any GenZers who don't get it, the iPhone originally shipped without 3rd party app support.) He has the current-gen SE model that his carrier gave him as a free upgrade (yes, actually free, the plan isn't any cheaper if you don't want the phone) so he wouldn't have saved any money by going with a lesser phone.

            Where would this be? The original iPhone was only a 2.5G EDGE device, which the US and Canada stopped providing service for by 2012,

            • Where would this be? The original iPhone was only a 2.5G EDGE device, which the US and Canada stopped providing service for by 2012, and 3G networks are being actively shut down now.

              I was implying he uses his modern iPhone (a current generation SE) in the same manner as the OG 2007 iPhone. He doesn't have any app store apps installed.

        • Son #1 uses his phone for business and camera work for advertising, so does the social media thing. Son #2 son occasionally goes dark, which I understand but bugs his mother to no end. For myself, I make it clear to people that I'll eventually reply to a text, but don't expect immediate response, though it can happen. If they want synchronicity, use voice. Disabling notifications has enough granularity on iPhone that I can tune it well enough, and no social apps beyond YT. I love the good camera, and my mos

      • by jythie ( 914043 )
        This touches on why I rather like feature phones, they tend to be a lot smaller, and you used to be able to get good rugged ones since they don't have a giant delicate touchscreen to protect. Plus... battery life rated in weeks.
      • by fermion ( 181285 )
        I do remember my half kilogram Nokia that just made calls. Sometimes. And separate camera. And CD player that skipped on the bus. What awful times we live in.
      • I'd be cool with Palm Pilot form factor devices. I always thought that hit a sweet spot for usability and compact size.
      • by Reziac ( 43301 ) *

        Myself, I'd like an inexpensive flipphone that runs something more competent than the horrible KaiOS, but is still basically a phone that fits in my pocket, not first and foremost a media center that requires a backpack to drag around.

        Something like the sadly obsolete "SHARP 501SH" -- a flip that runs android, but is designed around being a PHONE.

        I'm surprised PinePhone hasn't considered doing something like this.

    • Is a flip phone that can play vinyl

      Dumbphones are antiquated, vinyl is timeless. Even Picard agrees. [imgur.com]

    • You laugh, but I just saw in my Amazon recommendations a bluetooth cassette tape player. I guess for your car?

  • Next, I need ... (Score:5, Interesting)

    by PPH ( 736903 ) on Friday March 31, 2023 @01:51PM (#63414898)

    ... a plan from my carrier with SMS and voice. But no data.

    • My iPhone has a switch to turn cellular data on and off.

      • But the thing is you must have the self control to turn and keep the data off. It is just like any other addiction except people don't seem to recognize how distracting and focus-killing the things are.
        • But the thing is you must have the self control to turn and keep the data off. It is just like any other addiction except people don't seem to recognize how distracting and focus-killing the things are.

          You can keep the data on...

          Just don't have any social media apps....better yet, if you had sm accounts...delete them.

          Easy peasy!

          My smart phone doesn't interfere with my life...I look at it when I need to make the occasional call, or answer a text message from a friend.

          That's about it.

          It's available if I

          • > Just don't have any social media apps....better yet, if you had sm accounts...delete them.

            > Easy peasy!

            I was pissed when 3G was phased out and my functional slider was rendered obsolete. Got a "smart" phone and tried it for 2 months. The virtual keyboard was clumsy to use and took up nearly the entire screen, so I could not tell which field I was typing into when browsing the web.

            The screen would go dark as I maneuvered though voice mail hell.

            Then Google decided that they NEEDED to backup
            • The number of social media apps I had before I bought the "smart" phone : 0, during: 0, after it got rid of it: 0.

              Is this the contemporary replacement of "I don't own a TV"?

        • Not only that, but you're paying for data.

          For me there is zero temptation. I don't need to "detox" from cell phone "addiction." I've been a super tech savvy computer nerd since I was a little kid but nothing makes me feel "old" and "out of touch" as much as the smart phone "revolution" did. The screens are small and infuriatingly difficult to type on, they make noise and interrupt me and they are a privacy nightmare. I ended up getting a Pixel and installed GrapheneOS on it and that was the first time that

        • But the thing is you must have the self control to turn and keep the data off. It is just like any other addiction except people don't seem to recognize how distracting and focus-killing the things are.

          It's the same thing as the "artificial sweetener makes people fat" studies. If you don't have the willpower to avoid stuffing your face with donuts after drinking a diet coke, then yes, it's going to make you fat. But you can still tell yourself "no lizard brain, we're not eating that donut."

          Smartphones are only distracting if you let them have that power over you.

        • by PPH ( 736903 )

          But the thing is you must have the self control to turn and keep the data off.

          I have a phone that doesn't have "smart" features. No web, e-mail or apps. But I had to dig around and find that model when they took my 3G away. When I asked about a phone with WiFi and a carrier plan with no data, I was told that they would automatically activate a data plan for me if they detected a smart phone model on their system. And pay for it. So I went with a feature phone.

          I have an old 3G Android tablet that I bought at a garage sale. Works great with WiFi. But if I turn off cellular data servic

    • ... a plan from my carrier with SMS and voice. But no data.

      I have the Ting [tingmobile.com] Flex plan -- $10/month for unlimited voice/text and $5/GB 5G data (if used). Simply turn off your cell data and only use WiFi. I have cell data enabled, but mainly use WiFi, and my bill is $17.33/month auto-billed to my CC. Ting uses T-Mobile and Verizon; I'm on T-Mobile based on my home area and phone -- Pixel 5a.

    • ... a plan from my carrier with SMS and voice. But no data.

      I would like the opposite: a plan with data, but with neither SMS nor voice.

    • ... a plan from my carrier with SMS and voice. But no data.

      Good2Go Mobile has unlimited minutes and SMS, and 2GB/month data for $20/month. $15/month if you signup for autopay. I think on a typical month, I use about 15MB, while the rest is WiFi.

    • ... a plan from my carrier with SMS and voice. But no data.

      How about Tello?
      https://tello.com/buy/custom_p... [tello.com]
      "No data" is an option if you click the left arrow enough. Paired with unlimited voice and SMS, it's $8/month (plus taxes I assume).

  • Comment removed (Score:5, Insightful)

    by account_deleted ( 4530225 ) on Friday March 31, 2023 @01:58PM (#63414910)
    Comment removed based on user account deletion
    • Re:Makes sense (Score:5, Insightful)

      by Darinbob ( 1142669 ) on Friday March 31, 2023 @02:39PM (#63415034)

      This isn't just Gen Z. My mom is elderly and the smart phone, even a dumbish older Android, is too complicated. Plus it is difficult even for me to use the touch screen with human sized fingers, the UI is extremely mysterious, certainly not intuitive, and I spent a lot of time on the web just learning how to do certain things (the lack of a manual should not be considered a feature). It is nice that the phone says who is calling, that's a good benefit for the elderly too. To be honest, I think she'd be much better off with an old style Nokia 3000 series... I would be happier with that too, but it's extremely hard to find a dumb phone.

      Also, battery life. It's so terrible on these smartphones. They're constantly using juice to get to the web and run more scripts in the background and serve up more ads. My mom turns hers off unless she's making a call, otherwise it's the landline. Which means that now with a broken landline nobody can reach her. Overall, smart phones just are not smart.

      • by kackle ( 910159 )
        Interestingly, it's been my experience over 35 years that our landlines have been more reliable than cellular.
    • Re:Makes sense (Score:4, Insightful)

      by Larry_Dillon ( 20347 ) <dillon.larry@g m a i l.com> on Friday March 31, 2023 @03:38PM (#63415152) Homepage

      I want to switch back to a feature phone, but I need Google Authenticator for work. I'd also like maps for when I'm traveling.

      I feel what you're saying about companies assuming you have a cell phone. Lots of sites make receiving a text message mandatory. If you don;t have a call phone, you're a second class citizen.

      • I want to switch back to a feature phone, but I need Google Authenticator for work. I'd also like maps for when I'm traveling.

        Get a modern Android phone and put it in ultra low power mode. The phone can still be switched back but by default you'll be able to only call and get messages. Bonus points your battery should last well over a week.

        This even works on my company phone.

      • My dumb/feature phone does maps and it also has a WLAN AP for sharing the connection. It's a Nokia 8110 4G.
        • by Slayer ( 6656 )

          As someone, who has until now refused to use a smart phone, I have bought this Nokia phone. It is - by far - the worst phone I've ever had. It takes many key strokes to do whatever went naturally with one or two key strokes on my previous Samsung outdoor phone. I get no warning, when battery runs low, the phone just turns off. If you are in an area with very weak signal, the phone reboots every couple of minutes. The keys tend to bounce, so writing even a short SMS is an act of work. If I set an alarm for a

    • Thanks for reminding me to uninstall that app. Infuriating.

  • as well. Meh. Whatever. We live in a capitalism. If a company can make good money selling a product that caters to people's superstitions, fine by me.

    As long as nobody is making fraudulent medical claims. That's illegal. People who do that should be stomped into a meat puddle.
    • by Anonymous Coward
      When it comes to modern phones there is no superstition, the damn things are a distraction and break peoples' ability to focus. I have a smartphone but it is on a voice and text only plan. Without data you don't get all those fucking useless notifications and social media interruptions. If I need internet I connect via wifi.
      • by tepples ( 727027 )

        If I need internet I connect via wifi.

        Provided you can get Wi-Fi where you are. Many businesses provide Wi-Fi only to team members, not to guests. Nor do all cities' public transit services offer free Wi-Fi to passengers.

  • Statistics, and damned statistics.

    Per the article, someone named "Moorhead" (and CNBC forgot to reference who that is!) is thinking of seeing "up to" 5% increase in feature phone sales, over the next 5 years. The article also indicates that HMD Global is selling "10s of thousands" such phones, in 2022.

    So, first; 5% of 90000 (the highest "10s of thousands" number) would be less than 5000 additional phones.

    Given some numbers [zippia.com] about the American market; 97% of people have a cell phone. 12% are "non smart", th

    • I don't consider "feature phones" to be dumb either. They really need to split out and give stats on real dumb phones (phone calls only, SMS optional, ala 2000 era), and feature phones (pull out keyboards, more functionality, probably even network connectivity).

  • I miss the original Motorola Razr. Small, folds to protect screen. Modernize the CPU and screen and open it to 3rd party software. Don't need to watch movies/videos on it, the small screen can work for lots of apps.
  • With my smartphone I can:

    Find out which gas station has the lowest prices.
    Avoid going on wild goose chases (even more important thanks to the ongoing "everything shortage") when shopping.
    Comparison shop (or ask for a price match, if applicable) and check product reviews, while shopping.
    Order food (usually with coupons/loyalty discounts) and skip the line.
    Skip the checkout line entirely at Sam's Club. I love "scan and go" and wish more stores did it.

    My cell plan is a grandfathered Sprint plan, unlimited eve

    • by Gilmoure ( 18428 )

      When my kid turned 14 I handed down my AT&T unlimited data plan ($30/mo). Saved me so much $$$ over the years.

    • by tepples ( 727027 )

      Find out which gas station has the lowest prices.
      Avoid going on wild goose chases (even more important thanks to the ongoing "everything shortage") when shopping.
      Comparison shop (or ask for a price match, if applicable) and check product reviews, while shopping.
      Order food (usually with coupons/loyalty discounts) and skip the line.

      How many of these can you do with a laptop computer or a Wi-Fi-only tablet, possibly alongside a phone that can only talk and text?

  • by kyoko21 ( 198413 ) on Friday March 31, 2023 @02:35PM (#63415028)

    I disabled most notifications on my phone so it's really, really stupid. The only notification it gets is phone calls and YouTube notifications because I gotta watch those meme videos. :-)

    • by dargaud ( 518470 )
      And most important, a DNS redirector to kill most ads (even within apps), and a browser that allows an ad killer add-on.
  • If the old fogies (I'm fogier) get behind the gen zers, rather than mocking their every thing, kids these days! Just on this one we could get somewhere like squiggleslash illustrates most perfectly. I don't have a cell phone but for need of it for Starlink--It's just a computer at this point with no cell service available. Funny that an ISP would require you to have an app, indeed. If more would get stupid phones, we might stop the slide to cell phone for everything.
    • by aergern ( 127031 )

      I'm certainly going to cheer them on in this. It is purely selfish though, I won't have to listen to the snark about how folks with gray hair can't figure out tech and how they've grown up with it. They never stop to think that it's people between 40 - 60 who invented most of the crap they use.

      • I think many in GenZ and younger automatically assume that anyone who "looks old" is de facto a "Boomer" owing to the many years of that trope being headlined, combined with the fact that we Xers tend to fly small under the radar anyway. Oh they look over 35? Boomer. *eyeroll*

  • My Nokia 33xx and Motorolla Razar phones still work. And my Newton 2100 has an mp3 player and wifi card. If I can somehow smash them together

  • Most of these so called dumb phones are packed full of apps and stuff like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger.
    Is anyone still making truly dumb phones in high quality?

    • Most of these so called dumb phones are packed full of apps and stuff like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger.
      Is anyone still making truly dumb phones in high quality?

      Somebody already said it earlier in the discussion: Get the cheapest iPhone available (here in the USA, the lower end models nobody wants are literally free even from a few of the prepaid MVNOs) and remove any of the apps you don't need. Ever since Apple added the ability to disable even the preloaded apps, you can "dumb" down an iPhone as much as you want.

      Yeah, you do have to resist the temptation that it could run apps if you install them. *shrug*

  • My parents had flip-phone "feature phones". With the 3G shutdown, they were forced by the carrier to "upgrade"...

    And they chose 4G flip-phones, almost identical to their previous model.

    I'm sure that other old people are making a similar choice, either due to price or tech phobia.

    • I have a 4G dumbphone that can act as a wifi hotspot. If I need anything "smart" I have a UMPC that fits in a pocket, running proper Linux with a real keyboard. I can also use that to charge the phone via USB if necessary.

  • I can't remember the last time I made or picked up a call in my smartphone using the old phone paradigm: these days, I only use apps for that purpose, and often with video. Even if I were interested in a non-smart phone it would have to have at least that kind of capability.
    • "I can't remember the last time I made or picked up a call in my smartphone using the old phone paradigm: these days, I only use apps for that purpose, and often with video"

      So you're the asshole shouting into their phone held at arm's length instead of holding it to your head and talking at a civilized volume.

  • The shit our vendors do to us here with smartphone features is illegal everywhere else.

  • I want a computer I can carry with me.
    I get directions with traffic reports
    I can find out what song I'm hearing so I can listen again
    I can translate different languages so I can order food
    I can take photos and video
    I can look up information
    I can carry dozens of books to read

    I just want something that can't interrupt me with a voice call

  • The real problem with the smart phone is that they are getting so big that the people (like my Mother) who should really be carrying a cell phone in case they fall, won't carry one. Older people want large phones so they can see them, but they don't do you much good if you fall in the yard and the phone is in the middle of the kitchen table where it normally lives. She wouldn't bother keeping a watch charged, and if it was out of Wi-Fi range, it wouldn't work because some places have horrible cell service.
  • The new model dumbphones are expensive. Often you pay as much as a smart phone, just to get less. Phone manufactures should just cut to the chase and make a "no social media phone". The phone would make it impossible to install social media apps or reach social media sites. No games either. More notifications that can be turned off. Cut the distracting stuff, leave the useful functionality.
    • by arQon ( 447508 )

      Not sure where you're living that a dumbphone is "expensive", but here in the USA I bought one for $25 a few months ago. It's technically a smartphone, but it's a flip phone with no touchscreen, so doing anything really interactive with it is damn near impossible. IMO, this is a benefit, not a drawback.

      And I absolutely *love* it. It suits me better than literally any "real" smartphone available at any price. It easily fits in a pocket, so I never leave it on my desk, ever. It doesn't shatter like spun glass

  • Want a dumb phone? Get a rotary.

    • Haha, I have some rotaries. They work! They are great. I don't use them, though. Also, with mechanical bells!

  • They sold thousands a month. That's not "on the rise".
  • So many useless notifications. So much distraction.
  • What about MFA? I believe my job requires a s aero phone because if application based MFA like Microsoft Authenticator. I like the idea but I am not certain itâ(TM)s possible..
  • I have a closet full of dumbphones. I can't use them because the gd telecoms dropped 3g. They want me to buy more stuff that they will make obsolete in a couple of years?

  • You know the one... designed to ration out the smokes to that smoker who just can't cut back/quit.

    It's certainly better than nothing, but it omits the human potential for change.

    I personally shatter the usage stats in that I actively use my smartphone less than 30 minutes per day, except for the 3-4 long phone calls I have per month. Most of my use is using it as a music player and camera.

    I didn't get here overnight. Much like that pack a day smoker, I had to get off Facebook, gchat, group texts, mobile g

  • Try activating a dumb phone without already having a phone

    • Try activating a dumb phone without already having a phone

      I just activated a Nokia 2720. I did this by putting in a sim card, then putting in the (removable!) battery, then switching it on. Done. No codes, no emails, no demand for personal information. It was very refreshing.

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