Mobile phones once ruled the market, but today they are associated with cheap options for those who don't need a smartphone. We have to admit: what we gained in features with smartphones, we lost in simplicity, not to mention the fact that they have become a real distraction. Light Phone is a project that seeks to return to basics, offering a basic phone, without apps, messages, or ringtones… only calls.
The Problem with Smartphones
A British study published in October 2014 revealed that the average user checks their smartphone more than 200 times a day. I understand that each person is a world, and there are many details to consider, but 200 times is… too much. Without a doubt, the smartphone is a distraction. How many times have we seen someone walking down the street checking messages like a zombie? James Cameron said in 2011 that mobile phones “are Skynet”, and there's nothing to make us believe otherwise. Of course, the traditional mobile phone market hasn't disappeared. It's certainly smaller than before, but there is still a firm interest in simple devices that don't bombard the user with alerts, ringtones, and updates.
Back to Basics
That's what the Light Phone aims for. Less than 40 grams, as big as a credit card, no sounds, no text messaging, or preinstalled apps. Just a keypad, a small screen, support for ten personal numbers on speed-dial, a Mini SIM slot, and a micro USB port to charge its battery, which by the way lasts twenty days. The Light Phone can work as a standalone phone, or with the help of a small app on the smartphone, it's possible to redirect all calls from the main line to the Light Phone (I guess the mobile phone company also lets us do this). The only alert indicating an incoming call is visual, so the Light Phone won't start ringing or vibrating at inconvenient times.
The Light Phone comes without any restrictions regarding SIM cards, and its support is quad-band, so it should work almost anywhere in the world. Its creators include a prepaid SIM card with 500 free minutes, however, there are countries they can't send it to, and this also extends to the charger. The Light Phone is seeking 200,000 dollars on Kickstarter, and has already received about 50,000. The only problem (at least for me) is the price: $100. There are many very low-cost options on the market (the Nokia 215 comes to mind) that with some adjustments can be made just as silent as the Light Phone, and call forwarding isn't rocket science. The Light Phone's format has its appeal... but $100 makes it a hard pill to swallow.
