The return of “dumb phones”

This is an interesting trend and lost within the din of “smartphone shipments”. There is a gradual return to the “dumb phones”. What are those?

Not smart but clever? The return of ‘dumbphones’ – BBC News

These are basic handsets, or feature phones, with very limited functionality compared to say an iPhone. You can typically only make and receive calls and SMS text messages. And, if you are lucky – listen to radio and take very basic photos, but definitely not connect to the internet or apps.

I only linked to it because we are on the cusp of 5G (and all the talk about the network splicing). Telemedicine is waiting in the wings (eternally) and I think the pandemic validated its stand (and utility). While things are seemingly back to normal, it did bring out many connectivity issues.

Assuming the phones are the only computing devices that people will own, it will have a significant impact on the adoption of telemedicine (requiring different grades of devices). The uptake of these devices is in the younger age group. I am not sure how this will play out, but I can definitely see these users behind the curve in terms of healthcare adoption (especially availing the benefits at home). The traditional hospital centric model will undergo radical transformation, but will happen gradually.