Smartphones have dominated the phone market for the past decade, and continue to be in high demand. Tech companies constantly innovate and improve smartphones by adding the latest and greatest designs and features. However, some people are beginning to envy the simpler phones of the past. A flip phone is perfect for people looking to simplify communication, avoid the dangers of smartphones, or simply save money.
The Basics. Simple.
Flip phones offer the basics: calling, texting, taking pictures and potentially even web browsing. While social media and other apps have created endless ways to communicate with others, sometimes that amount of communication is not necessary. In a Statista survey from 2017 regarding the most used functions and apps on smartphones, the top two categories were text messages and calling. Even with the rise of social media, the primary uses of cell phones remain the same. Flip phones offer the basic, necessary methods of communication that people desire.
Fewer Side Effects.
Some people are switching to flip phones because of the suspected dangerous side effects of using smartphones. Due to social media and other apps, smartphone addiction has spiked in recent years. The average smartphone user checks their phone 47 times a day, or 17,155 times a year. The constant use of smartphones interferes with face-to-face relationships with others. In fact, 85% of smartphone users check their phones while in conversations with friends and family. Increased smartphone usage is also connected to stress and anxiety, sleep deprivation, and lack of focus and motivation.
These side effects are especially prominent and dangerous for children and young adults. An organization called Wait Until 8th started a movement encouraging parents to sign a pledge that they will not give their children a smartphone until 8th grade. They explain how smartphones can impair a child’s personal relationships, health, academics, and overall happiness. This organization understands the need for communication between parents and children, especially when they are separated. Because of this, they recommend communicating on flip phones as a perfect alternative to smartphones.
Price.
The simple nature of flip phones makes them much cheaper than any other phone. In recent years, the price of smartphones has becoming increasingly high, and they keep getting higher. Flip phones, however, are very reasonably priced. Affinity Cellular actually offers a flip phone for free, and users only have to pay a small price of $20 a month for unlimited talking. People who purchase flip phones are also getting a lot for what they pay for. Flip phones tend to have a really good battery life, especially compared to smartphones, which have been struggling with quickly deteriorating batteries. In addition to texting and calling, flip phones also allow for taking pictures, using voice commands, and even surfing the web.
As technology use increases and phones demand more of our focus and attention, the ease and simplicity of flip phones seems more and more desirable. Phones don’t have to feature all of the newest bells and whistles in order to fit people’s needs. Renewing the technology of the past could be the best way to make life simpler in the present.