An intriguing idea and I wish them every success. This is a good option for minimalists. I'm also very excited about E-Ink screen option and tiny footprint. Removable and replaceable battery is...
An intriguing idea and I wish them every success. This is a good option for minimalists. I'm also very excited about E-Ink screen option and tiny footprint. Removable and replaceable battery is especially attractive for me.
But
With massive regrets and I wish it wasn't the case, this won't work for me because my
banking app requires IR scanner
work has at least three authenticator apps plus Teams Zoom Slack etc
personal and work both requires video chat
elderly family member only uses WhatsApp
elderly family requires certain apps like Lyft and medical services apps etc
area of residence is remote and they only support Telus/Koodo
I've used my video function at least twice in the last month as ID verification and I expect the necessity to increase
essentially the apps lock in landscape which I hope can be fixed
I like the philosophy. I like the ideal of being more intentional with my time and having a more sanitary phone. But I can't afford an expensive second "clean" phone, just like how I can't afford to Marie Kondo my house full of things that don't bring me joy but I can't afford to live without.
The biometrics is an optional alternative to receiving text messages/ log in every time I switch focus. WealthSimple. But it's used frequently enough I struggle to imagine the app would be usable...
The biometrics is an optional alternative to receiving text messages/ log in every time I switch focus. WealthSimple. But it's used frequently enough I struggle to imagine the app would be usable for me without this feature.
You mean Face ID? If so, they are drop-in replaceable with other biometrics, such as fingerprint scanner. (Also, Face ID is way more complex than a simple IR scanner.)
You mean Face ID? If so, they are drop-in replaceable with other biometrics, such as fingerprint scanner. (Also, Face ID is way more complex than a simple IR scanner.)
Tough sell at USD 599 (discounted pre-order price; regular is USD 799), but I love this concept of an Android simplified and SMALL-factor phone. I recently got a Galaxy A55 and dumped it within...
Tough sell at USD 599 (discounted pre-order price; regular is USD 799), but I love this concept of an Android simplified and SMALL-factor phone. I recently got a Galaxy A55 and dumped it within two weeks because it's huge. (Went back to my old, trust and small-ish iPhone SE.)
Same I’m stuck with the iPhone 12 mini because I can’t stand the larger form factor phones I’m sad I may have to swap to android (again) in the future to get a smaller form factor because I love...
Same I’m stuck with the iPhone 12 mini because I can’t stand the larger form factor phones
I’m sad I may have to swap to android (again) in the future to get a smaller form factor because I love how seamless the Apple ecosystem is, but the massive phones today are a deal breaker
I would really love an e-ink display phone but this one sadly does not work for me both because of the price and ironically because it is too minimalist. As an aside black and white e-ink display...
I would really love an e-ink display phone but this one sadly does not work for me both because of the price and ironically because it is too minimalist.
As an aside black and white e-ink display phone with custom launcher but otherwise standard android would have better battery life than standard smartphones and by guess get to about two thirds of the minimalism of the LP. A lot of apps would still not work even with high refresh e-ink but as far as I am concerned thar would be a feature, I wish someone would make that.
That said good luck to those behind Light Phone, it definitely has a niche.
I saw in the comments of a post somewhere on here awhile back a mention of the Minimal Phone. https://minimalcompany.com/products/minimal-phone It's a black and white e-ink display with a physical...
I saw in the comments of a post somewhere on here awhile back a mention of the Minimal Phone.
It's a black and white e-ink display with a physical keyboard, but otherwise seems to just let you use Android however you want, at least from the FAQ it mentions this:
Can I use 3rd party apps on Minmal?
Yes, Minimal runs on Android, with full access to the Play Store, allowing you to download and use all your essential apps. However, the e-ink display and device optimization are geared towards minimizing unnecessary distractions.
I actually preordered the Minimal Phone a while back! Unfortunately, their hardware is mediocre and their software is even worse. Seems they've only shipped a couple dozen phones. The Minimal...
I actually preordered the Minimal Phone a while back!
Unfortunately, their hardware is mediocre and their software is even worse. Seems they've only shipped a couple dozen phones. The Minimal Company hasn't been very communicative about software updates, support, or even carrier compatibility.
Might be an interesting experiment, but unfortunately your smartphone is a little too important (IMO) to risk on such shaky ground.
Oh, and I'm also pretty sure they lied about some of the specs. The phone is almost certainly not the advertised dimensions, for instance!
Previous Light Phones used E-Ink displays. This new version shifts to an OLED screen — noticed how the camera viewfinder shows colors. I agree that E-Ink is a dealbreaker because too slow for...
Previous Light Phones used E-Ink displays. This new version shifts to an OLED screen — noticed how the camera viewfinder shows colors. I agree that E-Ink is a dealbreaker because too slow for everyday phone activities.
There are a ton of really cool smartphone startups out there making things like this, or fully modular phones, phones running entirely FOSS, and so on. Unfortunately they seem to exclusively be...
There are a ton of really cool smartphone startups out there making things like this, or fully modular phones, phones running entirely FOSS, and so on. Unfortunately they seem to exclusively be built upon shitty hardware and sold at an unreasonable price. I'm sure top-of-the-line smartphone components aren't exactly the sort of thing you can just buy outright and throw into your phone à la PC parts, but it makes any of these phones a really difficult purchase to justify when you're realistically only going to get 2-3 years out of them before they're unusably slow. And that's not even taking into account security updates and such.
From a consumer standpoint I just can't see any reason why you should get this phone over something like a Pixel 8 with GrapheneOS/LineageOS and a whole dumbphone suite installed. You can make basically any modern smartphone into a dumbphone entirely through software these days. Getting it for ideological reasons and aesthetic are valid if you can afford to of course, but for most people I think they're better off buying a mainstream phone second hand, nuking it of all apps except essentials, and using one of the many dumbphone-type launchers out there.
Despite the price, I like the idea of this and am adding it to my 'research and let's see' list of dumb(er) phones. Why? I eventually want my phone to roll back to a device for simple...
Despite the price, I like the idea of this and am adding it to my 'research and let's see' list of dumb(er) phones.
Why? I eventually want my phone to roll back to a device for simple communication. What defines simple? I haven't decided yet, but I will likely want phone calls and texts, perhaps email. Another Tildes poster spoke of keeping an iPod Touch-esque old iPhone nearby for everyday items that require it, such as 2FA, Lyft, Uber, WhatsApp, and others.
Knowing myself, it would cut down on pocket-pull phone use, as one doesn't whip out a Steam Deck or Switch in an instant versus playing Tsum Tsum on their iPhone.
I used the LightPhone 2 as my daily driver for a few years. I still have it kicking around and use it occasionally. My primary purpose was to remove the temptation to waste time browsing social...
I used the LightPhone 2 as my daily driver for a few years. I still have it kicking around and use it occasionally. My primary purpose was to remove the temptation to waste time browsing social media and other websites and be more present in general, which the LP2 was an absolute success at doing. I've since switched to a Unihertz Jelly Star (super tiny Android phone) instead, which achieves the same thing because it's so frustrating to type or read on that I never actually want to do it, but I don't have to give up on all the other benefits of a full-featured smartphone (like decent podcast and music apps, or the ability to scan QR codes). However, Unihertz is notoriously awful about providing software updates to their phones, so I'm on the look out for something else to replace it with. The LP3 isn't really a condender because:
Not an e-ink screen anymore, which was one of my main draws to the LP2.
Price is absolutely ridiculous.
Still no good way to sideload the one or two Android apps I use regularly (primarily decent podcast and music apps).
My goodness, I don't need a new phone right now and this thing probably doesn't have everything I need from a phone. But I feel a compelling desire to preorder one! I haven't felt like this about...
My goodness, I don't need a new phone right now and this thing probably doesn't have everything I need from a phone. But I feel a compelling desire to preorder one! I haven't felt like this about tech in a long time.
I absolutely love the simplicity, the monochrome UI, the mundane material choices, the fact that you can take it apart. That it is so un-phone-like.
I'm tempted to get this and get a new number for it, and never share that number with anyone other than my loved ones. No spam calls or messages to deal with, no ads (including notifications) that infiltrate my space, no endlessly browsing YouTube to find hacks that would allow me to make a UI more tolerable for my eyes and later, what to do when the hack stops working after an update. A small box that lets me be reachable without being disturbed. My freedom device. If only I could get a phone plan without monthly subscription fees that only charges for the calls, messages and data I actually use.
I really, really want one. In a beautifully irrational way!
I preordered one of these the day it was announced, so I’m excited to get one in the next week or two! Unfortunately, I’ve changed jobs since then, to a company that uses a smartphone app to do...
I preordered one of these the day it was announced, so I’m excited to get one in the next week or two!
Unfortunately, I’ve changed jobs since then, to a company that uses a smartphone app to do two factor authentication. I might be able to find a way around it, but that might significantly change my ability to use it on a day-to-day basis.
I’d be happy to post my impressions of the phone hardware though, if that’d be interesting to people!
An intriguing idea and I wish them every success. This is a good option for minimalists. I'm also very excited about E-Ink screen option and tiny footprint. Removable and replaceable battery is especially attractive for me.
But
With massive regrets and I wish it wasn't the case, this won't work for me because my
I like the philosophy. I like the ideal of being more intentional with my time and having a more sanitary phone. But I can't afford an expensive second "clean" phone, just like how I can't afford to Marie Kondo my house full of things that don't bring me joy but I can't afford to live without.
What banking scanner is done using infra red? Surely there are a tiny number of phones still shipping with an IR diode in them.
The biometrics is an optional alternative to receiving text messages/ log in every time I switch focus. WealthSimple. But it's used frequently enough I struggle to imagine the app would be usable for me without this feature.
You mean Face ID? If so, they are drop-in replaceable with other biometrics, such as fingerprint scanner. (Also, Face ID is way more complex than a simple IR scanner.)
Hmm no not with the camera, my mistake, it's a "capacitive fingerprint scanner apparently, not IR.
Here's a text link describing the product for those that can't (or don't care to) watch a video:
https://www.thelightphone.com/lightiii
Tough sell at USD 599 (discounted pre-order price; regular is USD 799), but I love this concept of an Android simplified and SMALL-factor phone. I recently got a Galaxy A55 and dumped it within two weeks because it's huge. (Went back to my old, trust and small-ish iPhone SE.)
Same I’m stuck with the iPhone 12 mini because I can’t stand the larger form factor phones
I’m sad I may have to swap to android (again) in the future to get a smaller form factor because I love how seamless the Apple ecosystem is, but the massive phones today are a deal breaker
I would really love an e-ink display phone but this one sadly does not work for me both because of the price and ironically because it is too minimalist.
As an aside black and white e-ink display phone with custom launcher but otherwise standard android would have better battery life than standard smartphones and by guess get to about two thirds of the minimalism of the LP. A lot of apps would still not work even with high refresh e-ink but as far as I am concerned thar would be a feature, I wish someone would make that.
That said good luck to those behind Light Phone, it definitely has a niche.
I saw in the comments of a post somewhere on here awhile back a mention of the Minimal Phone.
https://minimalcompany.com/products/minimal-phone
It's a black and white e-ink display with a physical keyboard, but otherwise seems to just let you use Android however you want, at least from the FAQ it mentions this:
I actually preordered the Minimal Phone a while back!
Unfortunately, their hardware is mediocre and their software is even worse. Seems they've only shipped a couple dozen phones. The Minimal Company hasn't been very communicative about software updates, support, or even carrier compatibility.
Might be an interesting experiment, but unfortunately your smartphone is a little too important (IMO) to risk on such shaky ground.
Oh, and I'm also pretty sure they lied about some of the specs. The phone is almost certainly not the advertised dimensions, for instance!
Well that's pretty disappointing. Thanks for sharing that as it does warrant being more cautious of them considering they're a new company.
Previous Light Phones used E-Ink displays. This new version shifts to an OLED screen — noticed how the camera viewfinder shows colors. I agree that E-Ink is a dealbreaker because too slow for everyday phone activities.
There are a ton of really cool smartphone startups out there making things like this, or fully modular phones, phones running entirely FOSS, and so on. Unfortunately they seem to exclusively be built upon shitty hardware and sold at an unreasonable price. I'm sure top-of-the-line smartphone components aren't exactly the sort of thing you can just buy outright and throw into your phone à la PC parts, but it makes any of these phones a really difficult purchase to justify when you're realistically only going to get 2-3 years out of them before they're unusably slow. And that's not even taking into account security updates and such.
From a consumer standpoint I just can't see any reason why you should get this phone over something like a Pixel 8 with GrapheneOS/LineageOS and a whole dumbphone suite installed. You can make basically any modern smartphone into a dumbphone entirely through software these days. Getting it for ideological reasons and aesthetic are valid if you can afford to of course, but for most people I think they're better off buying a mainstream phone second hand, nuking it of all apps except essentials, and using one of the many dumbphone-type launchers out there.
Do you have any dumbphone suites to recommend? I’m considering going down the grapheneOS route, but I’m not sure it’s for me.
Despite the price, I like the idea of this and am adding it to my 'research and let's see' list of dumb(er) phones.
Why? I eventually want my phone to roll back to a device for simple communication. What defines simple? I haven't decided yet, but I will likely want phone calls and texts, perhaps email. Another Tildes poster spoke of keeping an iPod Touch-esque old iPhone nearby for everyday items that require it, such as 2FA, Lyft, Uber, WhatsApp, and others.
Knowing myself, it would cut down on pocket-pull phone use, as one doesn't whip out a Steam Deck or Switch in an instant versus playing Tsum Tsum on their iPhone.
Keep in mind that Light Phone III runs full, standard Android OS, only with a coat of different painting (a launcher plus some apps?).
I used the LightPhone 2 as my daily driver for a few years. I still have it kicking around and use it occasionally. My primary purpose was to remove the temptation to waste time browsing social media and other websites and be more present in general, which the LP2 was an absolute success at doing. I've since switched to a Unihertz Jelly Star (super tiny Android phone) instead, which achieves the same thing because it's so frustrating to type or read on that I never actually want to do it, but I don't have to give up on all the other benefits of a full-featured smartphone (like decent podcast and music apps, or the ability to scan QR codes). However, Unihertz is notoriously awful about providing software updates to their phones, so I'm on the look out for something else to replace it with. The LP3 isn't really a condender because:
My goodness, I don't need a new phone right now and this thing probably doesn't have everything I need from a phone. But I feel a compelling desire to preorder one! I haven't felt like this about tech in a long time.
I absolutely love the simplicity, the monochrome UI, the mundane material choices, the fact that you can take it apart. That it is so un-phone-like.
I'm tempted to get this and get a new number for it, and never share that number with anyone other than my loved ones. No spam calls or messages to deal with, no ads (including notifications) that infiltrate my space, no endlessly browsing YouTube to find hacks that would allow me to make a UI more tolerable for my eyes and later, what to do when the hack stops working after an update. A small box that lets me be reachable without being disturbed. My freedom device. If only I could get a phone plan without monthly subscription fees that only charges for the calls, messages and data I actually use.
I really, really want one. In a beautifully irrational way!
After finding a very old Gen 5 iPod Classic in storage, it’s slowly starting to call my name as well.
I preordered one of these the day it was announced, so I’m excited to get one in the next week or two!
Unfortunately, I’ve changed jobs since then, to a company that uses a smartphone app to do two factor authentication. I might be able to find a way around it, but that might significantly change my ability to use it on a day-to-day basis.
I’d be happy to post my impressions of the phone hardware though, if that’d be interesting to people!