Tired of networks, emails, apps… we change our smartphone for an old phone, like the Nokia 3310 or the Light Phone.
Dumb phone, cheese?
Did you know the T9? In this keyboard that equipped the mobile phones of the years 2000, tap the same key three times to get the desired letter… With that, you need a good reason to send an SMS! A dumb phone is a phone that calls… and that’s (almost) all. Whether it’s a vintage model (such as the world’s best-selling Nokia 3310, recently relaunched by the brand) or a modern model (such as the minimalist Light Phone, with a polished design), the interest of the dumbphone lies in its disconnection. No more scrolling on Instagram… but also the facilities offered by GPS or banking applications. If some dumpphones are connected, their ergonomics do not facilitate this use.
read alsoStiffness, neck pain… You probably suffer from “texting neck” syndrome
On video, women in digital: the key figures
Why adopt it?
Most people who take the plunge aim for a digital detox. The objective: to recover the ability to mobilize endogenous attention (the one that one directs by choice, in a controlled manner), freeing oneself from exogenous attention (mobilized by external requests). Some also do it for reasons ecological : running servers to check your emails while waiting for the bus, it’s no! Others, finally, want to get off the radar of Gafam, the digital giants. Whatever the reasons, more and more people are choosing a dumb phone: today in the UK, one in ten adults would use one!
In practice
Max runs a small company of twelve people. He gave up his smartphone last year. “I wanted to break free from addiction, she explains, this reflex that made me unlock my phone as soon as I had five free minutes!” For this father of four, it was also about being consistent. “It’s hard to tell my kids they don’t need a smartphone if I’m screwed myself,” he admits. Therefore, he has replaced his GPS a little in advance, and checks the route from his computer before leaving for an appointment. As for the emails from him, they await his return to the office. Jacques also switched some of his mobile use to his computer. After putting down his smartphone for a while, this journalist opted for a middle ground: two phones, one “dumb” for his personal life and one “smart” for his professional life, with five apps. It allows you to generate his train tickets, facilitate his online payments, establish a shared connection for his computer. Essential ! “I don’t get caught anymore social networksI took a step back: it is very satisfying”, he rejoices.
to get started
To separate yourself from the smartphone, identify the uses that you will miss the most (music, alarm clock, calendar?) and find alternative solutions: a camera, a nice paper calendar… Don’t hesitate to talk about it around you: those around you will quickly lose the habit of sending you photos or contacting you on WhatsApp. Finally, don’t throw away your new iPhone right away: start by putting it away in a drawer and set up a trial period (a few days, a few weeks) to take stock of its use. It would be a shame to have to buy a smartphone!