Dumb Co dared me to trade my iPhone for a hacked flip phone
Dumb Co is a startup offering modified flip phones that allow for essential connectivity while reducing the addictive nature of modern smartphones. The company targets users who want to disconnect from social media and constant notifications without losing access to basic tools like maps and music.
Why it matters
It reflects a growing consumer trend of 'digital minimalism' and a pushback against the attention economy.
When Lydia Peabody saw her friend pull out a flip phone at a party last year, she burst out laughing.
“I was like, ‘Girl, what are you doing with that thing? That has to be a joke!’” Peabody told TechCrunch. But it wasn’t just a prop – her friend was participating in Month Offline , a community challenge in which a small cohort of people exchange their smartphones for flip phones.
Peabody couldn’t fathom giving up her smartphone, but her friend inspired her. A year later, her life looks different. She left her career as a licensed therapist to become the founding CMO of Dumb Co , the flip phone company that grew out of Month Offline. She’s happier.
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