A number of people are apparently ditching their smartphones and moving back to ‘dumb phones’ due to their reliability.
The Financial Times has revealed that there is a small but busy market for cheap, simple and easy to use phones that it’s thought developed in response to smartphones becoming more expensive and complex.
These so called ‘feature phones’ boast none of the complicated features of smartphones and instead come with just a few basic functions such as a music player or access to the internet.
It’s believed that the move to simpler handsets is a reaction to the growing expense of smartphones which are seen as unreliable, easy to break, require daily recharging and are quickly replaced in months by newer ‘must have models’.
Industry experts also claim that there is a growing number of so-called ‘second phoneys’ who are people who use an expensive smartphone during the day, but turn to cheaper devices when they go out in the evening, in an effort to unplug themselves from the internet.
Most phone makers, such as Sony and LG, have already turned their back on more basic phones. But both Microsoft and Samsung are still producing the simple devices every year and although they may only make up two per cent of the global market that’s still an incredible 44 million phones a year.
Mr Jeronimo a mobile phones analyst claims that feature phones are more popular in developing markets because of low prices and long battery life.
He said:
Using a smartphone in some countries in Africa, for instance, is not an option for many users, as it would require to charge it on a daily basis.
Going back to an old Nokia could be quite good, no more work emails at night, no pressure to stay up-to-date on Facebook and best of all you could play ‘snake’ again.
More of a concept than a journalist, Tom Percival was forged in the bowels of Salford University from which he emerged grasping a Masters in journalism.
Since then his rise has been described by himself as ‘meteoric’ rising to the esteemed rank of Social Editor at UNILAD as well as working at the BBC, Manchester Evening News, and ITV.
He credits his success to three core techniques, name repetition, personality mirroring, and never breaking off a handshake.