The smartphone market is growing every day. However, not everyone needs phones that can zoom up to 120x to the surface of the Moon, communicate via satellite, and have a 2K display that can capable of projecting 3D images. Some people simply want a mobile phone for communication and don’t want to spend their entire day watching 60-second videos on TikTok. Moreover, it seems that the number of these people is increasing. According to a report by Counterpoint, feature phones are making a comeback in the US market. Here are the details…
Feature Phones Make a Comeback as Gen Z and Millennials Seek Digital Detox
Feature phones or dumb phones as some call them, are making a comeback in the US market. This is being driven by a number of factors, including the growing popularity of digital detoxes,the affordability of feature phones, and the increasing demand for ruggedized devices.
One of the main reasons of the feature phone comeback is the growing popularity of digital detoxes. More and more people are realizing the negative effects of excessive smartphone use, such as anxiety, depression, and sleep deprivation. Feature phones offer a way to escape from the constant stimulation of smartphones and reconnect with the real world.
According to the Counterpoint, the US feature phone market is still relatively small, but it is growing rapidly.Shipments in the US are expected to reach 2.8 million in 2023. The two leading OEMs in the US feature phone market are TCL and HMD. TCL is the market leader, with a 43% share, followed by HMD with a 26% share.
Other players in the market include Sonim, Kyocera, Schok, and Tinno. Although feature phones are expected to remain a niche market in the U.S., their popularity is likely to continue rising in the years to come. This is partly due to a growing interest in devices that facilitate digital detoxing, as well as the availability of feature phones that come with up to date functionalities.