the problem is not smartphone but people without self control
you can use smartphone exactly same way as dumbphone and still have smart features available when needed
problem with dumbphones is mainly horrible camera, so you would need to carry camera if you wanna capture something, smartphone with self control solves this issue, nobody forces you to use anything but Phone and Messages apps and you will still have great camera and GPS, which are both lacking at dumbphones
if you use phone this way you should have pretty great battery life even with smartphone, you can choose some power efficient SoC combined with huge battery, for instance in Sony Xperia 10 IV, which is also relatively compact (narrow, but longer)
if you wanna save your time delete all social media apps and preferably also block these sites in browser, then also turn off notifications for everything but Phone and Messages, eventually Email if you need and your problem is solved
if you wanna go a bit more extreme you could use custom ROM without gapps, but honestly as someone using this config for almost decade I am hardly limited by apps because pretty much everything works even without gapps
Hmm. I don't automatically disagree, but the same argument is put forth for excessive food, drink, drugs intake and self-control is, by itself, not a real answer, but a diversion of sorts typically given by the item's manufacturer/seller. As in, it is both true, but also misleading -- especially so in the case of cellphones.
By their very design these days, smart phones are created with a singular goal of keeping the attention of the user. Incessant A/B testing, analytics and dark patterns use make them more addictive than an average willpower can handle. It can be done, but that individual is officially fighting off efforts of companies with budgets sometimes rivaling those of nation states.
I can agree that the problem is people, but I think we disagree on the exact nature of the problem.
> the same argument is put forth for excessive food, drink, drugs intake and self-control is, by itself, not a real answer, but a diversion of sorts typically given by the item's manufacturer/seller.
But it is a real answer. Solution to being fat is not some miracle pill or miracle diet, but lower the food/calories consumption and more exercise/movement (which is both again self control), simple as that. Seems like people nowadays are so childish they can't even admit how stupid and lazy they are and they prefer to blame someone else for their own misfortune caused by themselves. No one forced you to become fat by excessive eating. You can always become slim, if you start eating reasonable amounts of food and start exercising, but of course you can ignore this and try each year new miracle diet, same as people moving away from smartphones to dumbphones to fix their self control issues.
> smart phones are created with a singular goal of keeping the attention of the user. Incessant A/B testing, analytics and dark patterns use make them more addictive than an average willpower can handle.
I think you are confusing smartphones with apps/sites. Smartphones themselves and their manufacturers (maybe besides Apple since they produce complete package) are certainly not using any of those methods to make them more addictive. People are addicted to social media apps, not the phones, phones are just tools. It's like blaming silverware producers for being fat, because you eat sugary/unhealthy food.
If you wanna blame someone blame companies developing/producing apps/services, your blame on smartphone companies is misdirected. I don't think Xiaomi or Samsung (these two have pretty much all Android market in Europe) produce many addicting apps, while I am certain Facebook, Bytedance, Twitter and other companies produce addictive services/apps.
Um. It is an answer and it is even a convincing one, but it is not the answer.
<< Solution to being fat is not some miracle pill or miracle diet, but lower the food/calories consumption and more exercise/movement (which is both again self control), simple as that.
Yes in general. However, there are studies[1] suggesting that it is not exactly one size fit all in the sense that some bodies may defend their accumulated energy in the form of fat. In other words, there is a genetic component that can't be so easily dismissed with 'just eat less'.
<< Seems like people nowadays are so childish they can't even admit how stupid and lazy they are and they prefer to blame someone else for their own misfortune caused by themselves.
I am not sure I would phrase it quite so bluntly. You do recognize that it is something of a vicious cycle? An obese man is a lot more unlikely to start running around the block precisely, because of all that extra weight weighing him down. It is often a string of bad decisions, but it sounds overly dismissive.
<< You can always become slim,
I mean, in a sense we can always go on a starvation diet, but is more likely to result in a yoyo effect. Hardly a long term solution.
<< I think you are confusing smartphones with apps/sites.
Not really. I do mean both especially now that Google more tightly tries to run its ecosystem. Unless you are trying to convince that their flagship is not designed that you stare at it all the time. And if you look at Samsung ecosystem ( and its flagship ) the distinction you suggests slowly starts to lose its meaning.
<< People are addicted to social media apps, not the phones, phones are just tools.
You are right. At the end of the day, the tool itself is just that. However, if the tool in question liberally dispenses social equivalent of nudges, pushes, validation, belonging to a 'community' and effectively serves as heroine to attention starved addict, the tool is an addiction dispenser. It has to be recognized as such. Like.. I have no problem with drugs.. but I can't just will oxi addiction away. Social addiction is notably different, but you underappreciate its impact, because it is a mental addiction and not physical. I posit that the truly addictive things are more mental in nature.
Also true that phones are just tools; hardware is largely useless without software. Apple, Google, Samsung all provide various time wasters.
<< Smartphones themselves and their manufacturers (maybe besides Apple since they produce complete package) are certainly not using any of those methods to make them more addictive.
I am not sure Google, Samsung or Apple would agree ( openly that is ). To borrow your example, Apple only introduced limits on screentime after demands from various interested groups[2]. I don't even want to think what Google does.
<< If you wanna blame someone blame companies developing/producing apps/services, your blame on smartphone companies is misdirected.
It is a fascinating IF clause. I am paraphrasing while trying to retain the same meaning: "If I want to do something, my action is wrong". Could you elaborate? I think I understand what you are trying to say, but I do not want to assume the meaning you wanted to convey.
<< I am certain Facebook, Bytedance, Twitter and other companies produce addictive services/apps.
you can use smartphone exactly same way as dumbphone and still have smart features available when needed
problem with dumbphones is mainly horrible camera, so you would need to carry camera if you wanna capture something, smartphone with self control solves this issue, nobody forces you to use anything but Phone and Messages apps and you will still have great camera and GPS, which are both lacking at dumbphones
if you use phone this way you should have pretty great battery life even with smartphone, you can choose some power efficient SoC combined with huge battery, for instance in Sony Xperia 10 IV, which is also relatively compact (narrow, but longer)
if you wanna save your time delete all social media apps and preferably also block these sites in browser, then also turn off notifications for everything but Phone and Messages, eventually Email if you need and your problem is solved
if you wanna go a bit more extreme you could use custom ROM without gapps, but honestly as someone using this config for almost decade I am hardly limited by apps because pretty much everything works even without gapps