Smartphones have become a huge part of our everyday lives. We practically eat, sleep, and breathe with these devices. For this reason, Joe Hollier and Kaiwei Tang developed the first Light Phone in 2017 designed to be used as little as possible. Now they’ve come out with a second model, the Light Phone II which is more practical than its predecessor.
Going Light
The Light Phone is dubbed as “a phone that actually respects you” due to the lack of features available. It was a deliberate design choice as it was aimed at individuals who wanted to live intentionally in this era full of distractions. But the downfall of the first model was that it was only capable of making calls. In a world where texts and emails were essential, the device was obsolete.
What’s New?
Compared to the previous model, there have been quite a few upgrades with the Light Phone II. It’s more than an early 2000s mobile but less than the modern-day smartphone. Continuing with the minimalist aesthetic, it prides itself on only having the essential tools, a thoughtful interface, and a black and white matte display. They’ve added texting capabilities, a headphone jack, Bluetooth, and hot spot tethering.
Digital Detox
The biggest selling point of Light Phones is the freedom from social media, clickbait news, email, and an internet browser. Co-founders Hollier and Tang identified people’s need for digital detox and developed a device that does just that. It uses a technology similar to e-readers which is a unique electronic paper screen that doesn’t emit blue light. A simple music player and podcasts tool is the only form of media that can be consumed on the device.
Light Phone II is available in Black and Light Gray for $299. The company reiterates that the small, pocketable device is meant to be utilitarian, and adding all sorts of features would defeat its purpose. If going light is not something you’re interested in, stick with your smartphone.
