Button phones are back — reasons to switch to them

Over time, you may want to spend less time glued to your smartphone without giving up modern technology. In such cases, button phones can come to the rescue.

Novyny.LIVE explains why switching to a button phone can be worthwhile.

Why switch to a button phone in 2025

Button phones typically offer significantly longer battery life. Even the most feature-rich models don’t consume as much power as smartphones: they lack large high-refresh-rate screens and heavy software, and long TikTok sessions are unlikely, if possible at all. At the same time, battery life depends on the specific model: simpler apps allow manufacturers to use smaller-capacity batteries, so some devices can last about a week, while others only a few days. In any case, they need to be charged far less often than smartphones.

Another advantage is compactness. Each year, new smartphones become harder to carry in a pocket, and sometimes people even choose clothing based on device size. A small button phone doesn’t create this problem: it fits more comfortably in the hand, is easier to operate, and is more convenient for running or engage in activities with.

Another key point is less tracking of user activity. Modern smartphones monitor interests through apps and ads, while telecom operators record subscriber activity on their servers. Some Android-based button phones still support apps like WhatsApp and Messenger, which are owned by large tech companies, so they can’t be considered completely private. However, in general, such devices reveal much less about their owners: they don’t support most popular apps that track behavior, so they don’t "know" where you go, what you read, what you talk about, or what you buy.

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