What I Miss the Most Without a Smartphone
In June, I ditched my iPhone for a “dumb phone.” I could write a review of the phone I switched to, likes, dislikes, etc. (and I did here). But what most people ask first isn’t, “How do you like your dumb phone,” but rather, “How do you get by without a smartphone?” And to be fair, I miss a few things from my iPhone.
The phone I have now is called the Light Phone, and it has a few basic features:
It makes phone calls
It sends and receives texts, including group texts
It can set multiple alarms
It works as a mobile hotspot
It streams podcasts
It has a calculator
It has voice memos and text notes
It has a directions tool (that doesn’t work very well)
Honestly, for a “dumb phone,” it does quite a bit! Still, there are a few things I wish I could still do—though none of them is a game-changer for me.
The number one thing I miss is not being able to look up phone numbers. I can’t get it on my phone if it's not in my contacts. If I’m out and about and want to order pizza to pick up on the way home… forget it! If I need to make a phone call to a church member whose contact I don’t happen to have, I have to call the church office and get the number. The ability to find almost any phone number in an instant is one of the most useful features of a smartphone.
I also miss having my calendar on my phone. If someone asks for a meeting, unless I’m at my computer, I can’t really schedule it then and there. I can’t check my phone to see my next appointment either. I just ask them to send me a message and schedule the appointment later when I’m at my computer.
I love audiobooks! Sadly, the Light Phone doesn’t have an audiobook player.
Another thing I wish I had on my phone is my to-do list. Yes, the Light Phone has a notes tool. And yes, I could use it to list my weekly tasks. But, it wouldn’t sync with the task management app on my computer. And if I can only choose one device, I’d rather use my computer to manage my tasks than my phone.
Finally, I miss the camera. I’ve never been much of a photographer, and I didn’t think I would care about not having a camera. But, I miss it more than I thought I would.
There are several things I don’t miss after switching to a dumb phone. But that’s the subject of a different post.