According to Briones, the young hipster crowd is also trying out dumbphones, thinking of them as cool or retro.
Many members of the “Dumbphones” forum have made the switch away from smartphones, but keep some conveniences like email, Spotify, Google Maps, or Microsoft Teams, Briones noted.
But “not many people come in and say they want to have TikTok, Instagram and Facebook,” Briones said.
Many hobbyists keep smartphones on hand for their work.
Briones said he transfers his SIM card to an iPhone or tablet when his job is full of video meetings and travel, but he still relies on his dumbphone about 80 percent of the time.
“In my work with nonprofits I deal with a lot of emails, reminders, nudges and scheduling volunteers,” Briones said.
“It’s happening; you want to get away from it in your personal life.”
While the trend may be small, some companies cater to those who want to break the smartphone’s hold on their lives.
On its website, the Brooklyn-based maker of the Lite phone promises never to offer social media, Internet browsing or an “anxiety-inducing infinite feed” on its minimalist handset.
