According to CNBC’s report, companies such as HMD Global, the manufacturer of Nokia phones, continue to sell millions of mobile devices similar to those used in the early 2000s. This includes traditional clamshell or slider phones, known as “feature phones”, with additional features such as GPS or hotspot.
According to the news, the reason for this interest is that Generation Z wants to limit their screen time.
Before smartphones, devices with some limited features were used.
In the US, sales of HMD Global’s flip phones increased in 2022, with tens of thousands of phones sold each month. At the same time, HMD’s global feature phone sales fell, according to the company.
According to Counterpoint Research, almost 80% of such phone sales in 2022 came from the Middle East, Africa and India. But some think that number has changed as some of the youth in the US are returning to non-smart or minimalist phones.
SPENDING LESS TIME ON SOCIAL MEDIA…
Companies like Punkt and Light are meeting this trend by selling devices aimed at people who want to spend less time on their phones and social media. You can also find many influencers promoting these phones on YouTube.
Joe Hollier, co-founder of Light, said, “What we’re trying to do with the Light phone is not to create a dumb phone, but to create a premium, minimal phone that is not inherently anti-tech. But it’s about consciously knowing how and when to use aspects of technology that contribute to my quality of life. It’s about choosing,” he says.
