‘DUMB PHONES’ ON THE RISE AS PEOPLE LOOK TO CUT DOWN SCREEN TIME

As people’s screen time levels reach an all-time high, many are ditching their smartphones in favor of low-tech options. 

Will Stults and Daisy Krigbaum launched Dumbwireless in 2022 after noticing they were spending hours watching videos and scrolling aimlessly. Both utilized Apple’s Screen Time restriction tool but found it was too easy to disable or ignore. 

After researching different options and trying to figure out what would work best for them, the couple decided to share their findings with others who are looking for ways to reduce their smartphone use. 

“We created this store because moving away from your smartphone after years of use (and reliance on certain conveniences) can be confusing: sifting through an overwhelming amount of not so compelling options, comparing wireless service compatibility, deciding which features to part with… Such questions can be hard to research online,” the couple’s website reads. 

It continues, “We decided to make a one stop shop for the world’s best non-smart phones with customer service to help people make the right personal choice. Our hope is to showcase these solutions and take action in bringing ourselves and others back to using technology in a way that doesn’t hold us captive to our screens.”

Dumbwireless offers devices like “the Light Phone, an e-ink device with almost no apps; the Nokia 2780, a traditional flip phone; and the Punkt., a calculator-ish Swiss device,” the New Yorker reported. 

The Light Phone’s popularity has increased over the past few years. The New Yorker wrote that “from 2022 to 2023, its revenue doubled, and it is on track to double again in 2024.”

The company’s website features accounts from users, with one person saying, “I’ve had the Light Phone for 10 days and my stress levels are lowered and my appetite is coming back. I feel light, free, happy. I can’t speak for everyone, but the decision was absolutely vital for my mental health and happiness.”

Movieguide® has previously reported on the link between limited screen time and social media use and an improvement in mental health:

Have you ever detoxed from your devices? Here’s how ditching the digital world can improve your mental health and help you refocus on the real world. 

“A digital detox refers to a period of time when a person refrains from using tech devices such as smartphones, televisions, computers, tablets, and social media sites,” VeryWell Mind reports.

Several benefits come with putting devices down. 

According to Study Finds, a social media detox “reduced anxiety and depression.” The source shares, “Many experts suggest the rise in anxiety, especially in kids, is due to social media. We are constantly comparing ourselves to our friends, and if a post doesn’t get a certain number of likes or comments, we feel defeated.” 

Movieguide® reported, “It’s no secret that mental health – particularly among the youth – has reached a crisis as more and more people struggle with issues such as anxiety and depression. The study found that there is not enough evidence to directly link this change to social media, but the technology has been shown to make pre-existing mental health problems among adolescents worse.” 

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