Dumb phones might be falling out of style on an international scale, however it’s a various story in the U.S.
Companies like HMD Global, the maker of Nokia phones, continue to offer countless mobile phones comparable to those utilized in the early 2000 s. This includes what’s referred to as “feature phones”– conventional flip or slide phones that have extra functions like GPS or a hotspot.
“I think you can see it with certain Gen Z populations — they’re tired of the screens,” stated Jose Briones, dumb phone influencer and mediator 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., function flip phone sales were up in 2022 for HMD Global, with 10s of thousands offered monthly. At the exact same time, HMD’s international function phone sales were down, according to the business.
In 2022, nearly 80% of function phone sales in 2022 originated from the Middle East, Africa and India, according to CounterpointResearch But some see that number moving, as a contingency of youths in the U.S. revert back to dumb or minimalist phones.
“In North America, the market for dumb phones is pretty much flatlined,” statedMoorhead “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.”
Companies like Punkt and Light are dealing with the pattern, offering gadgets tailored towards those with a desire to invest less time on their phones and social networks. On YouTube, you will discover a variety of influencers promoting these phones.
“What we’re trying to do with the Light phone isn’t to create a dumb phone, but to create a more intentional phone — a premium, minimal phone — which isn’t inherently anti-technology,” stated Joe Hollier, co-founder ofLight “But it’s about consciously choosing how and when to use which aspects of technology that add to my quality of life.”
Watch the video to get a take a look at the dumb phones that might have an appealing future in the U.S.
