Switching to a Sidephone

I first started looking at dumbphones a little over 10 years ago, around 2015. I purchased my first cell phone back around the year 1999, and it cost a fortune for a monthly contract. My first provider was Aerial Communications, Inc., which was later acquired by VoiceStream Wireless. I remember paying by the minute to use my phone, and did most of my calling when we had unlimited calls on nights and weekends.

I purchased the original iPhone in 2007, and largely kept up with each new release. In 2024, I decided I had enough, and switched to using an Android phone. Now, in 2026, I came to the realization that I wanted off this train, and decided to purchase a not-so-smart phone (essentially a dumbphone with a few Android apps) - a Sidephone. My intention is similar to others who have gone before me: I want to reduce my dependance on technology, and enjoy living life in the real world.

The purpose of this post is to chronicle the process of winding down my smartphone use, and increasing my use of a Sidephone. The Sidephone arrived in my mailbox this afternoon, and the next step will be to set everything up. I plan to keep my smartphone active and use a new number for the Sidephone, simply for safety. If this is successful, I will move over my primary number.

The phone arrived, and my first impression is that it is exceptionally small! And light! Both features that modern phones have been lacking for years. The screen is small, but that is by design. I was able to get an on-screen keyboard installed and functional, which allowed me to install other Android apps that I normally use, but typing on this small screen will be challening.

Instead of using a second phone number, I moved over my primary number. Instead of an unlimited plan, I selected the 1 GB plan for $10 a month. I'm all in on this device. There is no turning back now.

I installed about 80% of the previous Android apps that I used on my previous phone. There are a few that use Google Play services, which this phone does not have, so they will not work. I'm comfortable with that, primarily because I'm trying to leave all big tech behind. No Google, Microsoft, Apple, or Meta use at all.

I am finding myself trying to use old apps to scroll through content online, like Mastodon, and it isn't working well. The screen simply is not large enough for those tasks. This was expected, and I am beginning to consider whether I should just remove those apps from my device entirely. That was the point of switching to this phone in the first place.

One unexpected benefit happened when I decided to take this phone with me while going out for a run. In the past, I had taken my old larger phone with me, but it bounced around in my pocket and made running uncomfortable. With the Sidephone, running is a breeze, and I can't even feel the phone in my pocket. Bluetooth is rock solid and I feel better having a phone with me while out. If necessary, I could call for help if I injured myself.

I've come to realize that this phone is clealy not intended to be used as a way to waste time. The screen works well enough, but my eyes find it difficult to use to just sit and scroll through posts or other content. So I am slowly stopping. That is one of the expected benefits of purchasing this phone - meaning I would spend less time using it when compared with my old smartphones. I'm also finding that some apps work, and others do not. Those that did not, were immediately removed. Those that did not install in the first place were quickly abandoned. I have the fewest number of apps on my phone since my original iPhone.

And guess what? Life goes on! I don't seem to miss the apps that much, and although I need to slightly alter how I do things, it isn't as bad as I had feared. Do I still long for the coolest new phones being released? Yes. In fact, Apple released a new phone today. But I know I'm not going to purchase it, and I will be fine without it. Now excuse me for a bit as I get ready to go running with my phone and a new audiobook to listen to along the way.

After a full week, I'm still using the phone and trying to adjust. I no longer grab it to catch up on what is happening online. I've removed another app or two that I just don't use. And I am starting to not care what my wallpaper looks like anymore. I just switched it to a dark color and I think I'll leave it that way.

Calls sound clear, and Wi-Fi calling works better than some of the other phones I've used. I did have one family member try to FaceTime me, and wondered why they couldn't see my video. Since I do not have FaceTime on this phone, I think they were confused and assume that all video calls are "FaceTime."

I'm disappointed to say that I stopped using the phone. There were a few apps for work that were just not working correctly on the small screen. This made it frustrating and I eventually decided that keeping my job was more important than using a small phone. I returned it and went back to my Pixel 9 Pro Fold running GrapheneOS. I really miss the small size of the Sidephone, and I would still recommend it to anyone looking for a small phone with a normal keypad.