Stop scrolling: Light's $299 flip phone and its retro specs could change your life - ZDNET

Our gifting experts are obsessively searching for holiday gifts that are unique, thoughtful and suitable for any budget. The brand's new flip phone takes an accessible approach to minimalism - with a gentle touch. Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. Light, the company that made the “premium dumbphone”, just announced the latest device to its lineup: the Light Flip, a $299 flip phone with the same minimal aesthetic but trade-offs in hardware and build. The Brooklyn-based company’s core ethos remains the same: a completely minimalist UI, no email, no apps, and limited features — even less than the Light Phone 3, which was already spare. The result is a unique device in wild colors designed solely for making calls and sending texts (if you can brave the T9 keyboard). Also: I gave up my iPhone for a dumbphone with no apps. A month later, here’s my take Sure, it’s a flip, but it’s chunkier than the Light Phone 3, has a worse camera, no touchscreen, no NFC capabilities, is made of plastic instead of aluminum, and has less memory. So what’s the draw here? Obviously, it’s not about the specs; Light says it’s about the lifestyle. I talked to Light’s two co-founders, Joe Ho

Jul 25, 2026 → Jul 25, 2026