Startup dumb.co is pushing flip phones as an antidote to smartphone addiction, recruiting young people to test feature phones loaded with essential apps like WhatsApp, Maps, and Uber.
As part of a growing anti-tech movement, the company ran a month-long trial in New York with 28 residents who agreed to replace their smartphones with flip phones.
Despite their basic appearance, the devices aren't stripped of connectivity. They come preloaded with messaging, maps, and ride-sharing applications—the functions most users actually need.
Dumb.co frames the shift as a path to "social and spiritual freedom," targeting young people seeking to reduce screen time and digital distractions. The company positions flip phones as a middle ground between total digital disconnection and the constant engagement demanded by modern smartphones.
The trial taps into broader concerns about smartphone dependency, social media impacts, and digital wellness. Whether participants successfully maintained the switch beyond March, or if the experiment translates into wider adoption, remains unclear. The startup's approach challenges the assumption that more features and connectivity necessarily improve users' lives.
New research reveals that startup Annual Recurring Revenue has become increasingly unstable as artificial intelligence reshapes enterprise purchasing decisions. Startups are struggling to adapt their business models to the shifting landscape.
Power utilities are aggressively pursuing partnerships with fusion energy companies to meet surging demand from AI data centers. Realta Fusion is the latest startup to secure utility backing.
Thinking Machines Lab, founded by former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati, is raising at least $1 billion at a $40 billion+ pre-money valuation—down from the $50 billion+ it targeted last year.
Qualcomm has invested in smart ring maker Ultrahuman as the company builds a new device powered by Qualcomm chips. Ultrahuman targets $200 million in annual revenue by January 2027.