Aug 6, 2024
Turn your iPhone into a "Dumb Phone"
An app that transforms your smartphone into a dumb phone.
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More people are realizing the downsides of smartphones, which has sparked a growing trend towards simpler devices like the Light Phone.
As a tech enthusiast, I believe our smartphones today can do amazing things, from taking great photos to keeping us productive on the go with apps like Notion and Superhuman.
Instead of replacing my smartphone, I prefer setting it up for intentional use and minimizing distractions. This way, I can still enjoy the benefits of this powerful, pocket-sized device.
The Dumb Phone app is one tool that helps achieve this balance.
I've seen a few other apps attempting this, but the Dumb Phone app is exceptionally well-built.
It transforms your iPhone's home screen into a simplified version that displays only the names of your selected apps.
Gone are the colorful icons and notification badges. Your home screen now shows only the apps that help you in your day-to-day life whenever you unlock your phone.
I'd probably keep this as my home screen if I weren't a heavy Notion user.
My Notion widgets home screen remains more effective for me since I track many things in Notion.
Navigating Notion on the mobile app can be cumbersome at times, and this widget-based home screen helps me access my frequent pages quickly.
If you're not a Notion fanatic like me, the Dumb Phone app is a great way to reduce your screen time and take more control over your phone use.
You can try out the Dumb Phone app using the download link below.
For Android users, there's a similar app called Before Launcher. I use it on my BOOX Palma, so check it out if you want to achieve this simplified look for your phone.