Remember when a phone was just a phone? You dialed a number, heard a ring, and had a conversation. No notifications. No endless scrolling. No dopamine loops designed by Silicon Valley engineers. Well, that old-school approach is making a major comeback. A new wave of young people, especially Gen Z, is turning away from smartphones and embracing“dumb phones”— basic devices that call, text, and not much else.
The numbers are staggering. Google searches for“dumbphones”have jumped 89% since 2018. Sales of brick-style phones to 18 to 24 year olds surged 148% between 2021 and 2024. And it’s not just nostalgia driving this. Research from the University of Texas found that 91% of participants reported better mental health after blocking the internet on their smartphones for just two weeks. The study’s author compared the improvement in attention to reversing a decade of decline.
Experts say it makes sense. Smartphones trigger the same chemical reaction in the brain as drugs and alcohol. They’re designed to keep you hooked. But more and more people are deciding they want their focus — and their relationships — back. Harvard grad student Gabriela Nguyen created APPstinent, a program to help people unplug. She says her relationships have never been stronger since she disconnected. Could you do it? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.
About the Author
Ava Hart
Ava Hart is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.
