When Sarah Christin Rødseth (16) broke her smartphone, she found her mother’s old mobile phone at home and put it to use. Now she hasn’t used a smartphone in months. – Life is a little less stressful. I focus better on school and hobbies, says the high school student. On the bus, she has to buy a bus ticket from the driver, and if she is going to tip someone, she asks her parents to tip her on her behalf. Although there are some practical challenges to not having a smartphone, it’s worth it for Sarah. – I have been very aware that I am wasting my childhood when I have been constantly on my mobile phone, she says. – Liberating – It’s quite liberating to let go of the stress of always being up-to-date. Although I also understand that people don’t want to switch to dumb phone. – But I have no regrets, she says. The 16-year-old doubts that she will return to a smartphone. If her friends watch videos on Tiktok, they are good at showing her, and including her, so she doesn’t feel left out. Sarah Christin Rødseth notices that her concentration has improved since she stopped using her smartphone. Photo: Sarah Christin Rødseth Signs of increased demand According to the Wall Street Journal, Nokia sells tens of thousands of flip phones every month in the US. This is what Lars Silberbauer, marketing manager at HMD Global, tells the newspaper. HMD Global is the Finnish company that makes today’s Nokia phones. According to Silberbauer, sales are increasing across demographics, and he says “it’s not a small trend”. – This is a rather funny trend that we also see, writes communications manager Daniel Hauan in Komplett.no to news. – Back in 2021 when Nokia came out strong with its new version of the classic 3310 4g, and the flip phone Nokia 2660 4g, we noticed great demand for such models. In 2022 and 2023, the demand for such models was not as great, according to Hauan. But something has happened. They have seen a growing demand for “dumb phones” in recent months. – This may indicate that there is a growing trend among people to be more “offline”, says Hauan. At Komplett.no, there has been increased demand for newer versions of classic mobiles without smart functions recently, according to communications manager Daniel Hauan. Photo: Morten Rakke Hauan says they do not have figures showing the age of those who buy such phones. – But a rough assumption on our part is that it is young people who buy these models based on things we experience in the market. For its part, Elkjøp sees no increase in sales of this type of phone in this country. – Without being able to share specific sales figures, we can share that there is no decline either, the distribution here is stable and the market relatively unchanged, says Madeleine Schøyen Bergly in Elkjøp Norge. In 2021, Nokia came out with a new version of the classic 3310. Photo: JOSEP LAGO / AFP Feeling more present For Samuel Rud Dale (26), it was a gradual transition from a smartphone to the Nokia phone he now has. At the start, he alternated between his new dumb phone and the iPhone, which kept getting more and more broken. Finally, he didn’t have a working iPhone. Samuel says life has changed in several ways since then. – I feel I have a couple of extra hours in the day and spend less time on social media and am more present, he says. Samuel went to purchase a black flip phone from Nokia which has certain functions he wanted. Photo: Josefine Rud Dale – A bit stylish He clarifies that the mobile phone he has is not of the “dumbest type”. – I have internet that works – it just takes an insanely long time. I can also use Facebook and YouTube on it. But when he got the mobile phone, it was precisely all the limitations that tempted him. – It’s a flip phone that you open and close. It’s a bit stylish, and then it’s appealing because of the limitations it has, says Samuel. Must do like the pensioners One function was nevertheless important when he was going to buy a mobile phone without smart functions. Namely being able to listen to music on the phone. – I can put in music like on an iPhone, but it doesn’t have room for that much music at a time. So a lot goes on in the same albums, says Samuel. When he takes the train and bus, he does what he calls a “retired move”: – I have bought a physical bus card that I can top up, and sometimes I have to print the tickets, he says. Took several months to get used to The transition to a life without notifications and apps was not painless for the screenwriter. – It took two to three months before I was able to properly let go of Snapchat. I also felt it very much when I was hanging out with friends and there was a bit of dead time and everyone picked up their phones to check social media, says Samuel. After about three months, he no longer missed his smartphone in the same way. The only thing that still bothers him a little is how long it takes to reply to SMSes. – It is much more cumbersome to text on a stupid phone. So I probably take a little longer to answer messages now. Think we’re being kidnapped digitally Psychologist John Petter Fagerhaug thinks it’s a good thing that some young people choose to spend less time on smartphones. – It gives hope and is a good sign that the young people are smart and can think for themselves, he says. At the same time, he adds that the smartphone is basically a fantastic toolbox with many possibilities, but believes that the best thing we can do is learn to use it in a better way. – Normal use is when we use it for the results we want to achieve. When the mobile phone becomes a means and not an end in itself, says the psychologist. Psychologist John Petter Fagerhaug believes we should learn to use the smartphone in a better way. Photo: Privat He believes that the way the smartphone has been developed has contributed to many people becoming addicted to it. – Initially, the developers spent a lot of time making everything user-friendly. With the introduction of likes and other evaluation methods and colors, the apps began to stimulate the brain’s physical and mental reward systems. This is how the development went from ease of use to a stimulating addictive drug that we just had to have more of, the psychologist believes. – It is the first time in history that man has been required to use tools and aids that also function as addictive drugs. – In a way, we are being digitally kidnapped, says Fagerhaug. Three tips for those who want to test a life without a smartphone Sarah and Samuel have some tips for others who want to try to ditch the smartphone. 1. Samuel: There are stupid mobiles with smart functions. Several modern models of the old mobile phones from the 2000s are sold today with certain functions available if you need them. For example GPS, 4G, access to music and certain apps. This means that you do not have to go completely offline by removing your smartphone. 2. Sarah: Start by having a “dumb phone” next to your smartphone. – Then you can put it away little by little, so it won’t be such a big transition, she says. 3. Samuel: Give it time. – Suffer through the first two months and check how it feels after three months, he says.
ttn-69
Sarah (16) and Samuel (26) have dropped their smartphones – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
