It started with a simple question: what would my life look like were it not tethered to a smartphone? Two months ago, I realised this was a question I was unable to answer. How would I get up in the morning, find my way around, or Zapp the ice I forgot to buy in the supermarket when thirsty friends are just about to arrive?
Turns out it’s a question a lot of people are asking at the moment. One of the New York Times’s 2026 predictions was that ‘dumb phones’ (basic mobile phones that lack smart features like apps and cameras) would become a status symbol. The Standard’s Fashion Editor Joe Bromley has declared being online ‘embarrassing’.
