Light Phone 3 is creating buzz for being the anti-iPhone

The Light Phone 3 is the latest attempt at a phone that won't distract you but won't leave you without key tools. However, higher-quality parts mean the price is way higher than previous models.

If you love your phone a little too much, you might be interested in the Light Phone 3, a new bare-bones device designed to encourage you to spend more time looking at something other than a screen.

It's meant to be far less distracting than the average smartphone, offering only what it thinks you need. It's the company's third iteration of this idea, and this generation has gained quite a few new toys while still focusing on the company's mission. The Light Phone III is listed for $799, although it's currently discounted to $599 for its pre-order period. The standard cost is the same price as an iPhone 16, double that of the Light Phone 2, launched in 2018.

Measuring only 5 inches, with a 3.92-inch display, the Light Phone III is tiny compared to the current 6-inch or larger size of typical phones. The screen is a new matte-textured OLED model, swapped in for the e-ink screen of previous Light Phones. That means while it will be less power efficient, it's much more responsive, and can display in full color when you activate the camera.

Yes, there are cameras on this Light Phone model for the first time: a 50MP one on the back and an 8MP one on the front. You use these sensors via a physical two-step shutter button on the side of the phone. There's no on-screen shutter button, with the idea being that using the dedicated key for taking pictures results in a more tactile, deliberate photography experience.

The Light Phone III is designed to be minimalist, but the engineers have made efforts to provide all the tools you'll need when out and about. The phone lets you make and use phone calls, messages (SMS only right now), music and podcasts, a calculator, a calendar, maps, a clock and a mobile hotspot, plus Bluetooth support for your headphones of choice.

While there is work on more functionality, like Spotify integration, that's all you get. And with all the apps listed in simple white on black text, you can see how this phone's meant to steer you away from idly passing time scrolling through social media or videos and force you to only interact with it when needed.

Understandably, the Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 chip the Light Phone III is equipped with is not that powerful, but the 6GB RAM/128GB storage is pretty generous for a minimal phone. You get both 4G and 5G connectivity, too, although Light Phone recommends checking on their verification page to ensure your carrier of choice is supported.

New metal edges for a premium look and feel, and a new fingerprint sensor on top for unlocking the phone (though it's not working yet). There's also a unique scroll wheel for changing brightness or activating the flashlight.

A replaceable 1,800 mAh battery is powering everything, with USB-C charging for fully modern convenience. The display and USB port are easy to switch to. The battery covers the phone's main areas, which tend to get damaged through regular use. So even if you drop or break the Light Phone III, you should be able to replace key broken parts yourself.

But is it any good?

There are only a couple of reviews of the Light Phone III so far. David Pierce at The Verge and Julia Chokkattu of WIRED both have similar thoughts, though.

Even with the new OLED display, the Light Phone's battery life remains strong, and with the improved design and other new features, it's a great example of a phone that helps you disconnect while letting you reconnect when you need to.

Aside from the obvious expense of the phone, the other major limitation is around updates. We have no idea how long the Light Phone III will be supported (although chances are it'll be for a long time), and several abilities, like NFC and video chats, aren't yet enabled. While buying the phone now gets you a discount, you are lacking in features

If we get our hands on a Light Phone III, we'll share our opinions on how this phone works as an anti-phone. But on paper, this smartly designed phone could be what smartphone users tired of constant distraction are after.

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