Many of us experience the same frustration when it comes to using our cell phones. Our phones in a lot of ways have crossed over into inturrupting our lives, concentration, happiness, and even sparking addiction*. If you feel this way keep reading. 

I am a modern person living in the modern world, but I want to urge companies to create a product that aids the consumer instead if hindering them. The "dumb" phones these creators are coming out with are not practical in seperating ourselves from the internet or being compatible for things we would need in a simplictic phone in the modern age. They are catering to consumption (doom scroll) rather than the needs of the consumer. 

If you agree with this brand of simplicity in a phone I'd urge you to sign this petition to show that this is what the customer base wants and that there is a consumer base.

Here is an outline of what a phone modeled for simplicity looks like while still being able to serve the customer.

1. A keyboard instead of the t9 most "dumb phones" offer.
2. Lack of touchscreen but a focus on buttons/analog. 
3. Minimal apps with basic internet. 
4. Camera, calculator, mail, navigation, flash light, alarm.
5. 5G compatibility.
6. An absence of planned obsolescense. 
7. Bluetooth capability.
8. Decent storage capacity.

(Point 1)

This is more compatible with the needs of communication of today. Most people would still like to be able to keep up and text while not engaging with a smart phone. Texting is commonly used for communicating as 97% of American adults text weekly* 

(point 2)

Touch screens can be a strain on the eyes and mental campacity. Many people seeking dumb phones work with screens/computers and just want a break from a large bright screen. For others a screen paired with internet capabilites is the same as a smart phone, and that is what they wish to step away from. 

(Point 3-4)

Internet access seems to be a basic need now but most seeking dumb phones wish to severly restrict these capabilites. Having Email, music, and sms messaging are good to have but being compatible with social media apps is a hinderance to the goal of breaking from technology. Having a camera, calculator, alarm, flash light, navigation are all very basic apps that serve a tangible and practicle purpose. Practicality is what we aim to have. Simple apps and no more, no less. 

(Point 6)

Many of us wish to invest in something worthy of investing in. Not something that breaks down and is no longer useful. The only reason many of us can no longer use our old dumb phones from the past is because of the upgrade to 5g making them obsolete. The new dumb phones should be made to be able to keep up with service providers and made with durability, repairability, and a lasting battery life. You used to find these qualities in old phones such as Nokia but now our "smart" and "better" phones die within a couple of years or upgraded every 18mo*. We wish to no longer play into endless upgrading but be satisfied with a quality product.

(Point 7)

Many of our old phones would be perfect for these goals such as an old slider phone, or the basic blackberry, or razor. But because of the upgrade from 3g to 4g then 4g to 5g our phones are no longer compatible.* Even if there were a program to make our old phones 5g compatible I'm sure there would be many participants. 

There is more info needed to be able to say if app downloading should be an option or restricted to what comes on the phone. Please let me know your feedback. I personally wish to be restricted app access because I know given the option to download apps I wouldn't have what I seek in simplicity in my phone. If there were two models available one with more internet access/apps and the other with only the basics then that would be ideal. 

I plan on sending this petition to the major and minor cell phone companies and manufacturers in hopes they listen. Please sign and comment anything you wish to have in your dumb phone or your reasoning for wanting to switch. 

 

paragraph 1* https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6449671/

point 1* the local project texting statistics https://www.localproject.net/docs/texting-stats/

point 6* https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/blog/understanding-the-product-cycle-when-to-expect-new-releases-updates-deals-and-discounts/

point 7* https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/plan-ahead-phase-out-3g-cellular-networks-and-service#:~:text=AT%26T%20announced%20that%20it%20will,network%20by%20June%2030%2C%202022