{"id":249314,"date":"2026-01-24T09:19:11","date_gmt":"2026-01-24T09:19:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/249314\/"},"modified":"2026-01-24T09:19:11","modified_gmt":"2026-01-24T09:19:11","slug":"the-best-dumbphone-is-the-one-im-already-wearing-on-my-wrist-and-it-made-me-return-to-life-more","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/249314\/","title":{"rendered":"The best dumbphone is the one I’m already wearing on my wrist \u2014 and it made me return to life more"},"content":{"rendered":"

I haven\u2019t used one exclusively for a long time, but dumbphones do still exist today. You\u2019ve got retro-looking flip phones like the TCL Go Flip<\/a> that remind me strikingly of my first phone, and then there are keyboard phones like the $499 Clicks Communicator<\/a> that try to convince you they’re more of a companion to your smartphone.<\/p>\n

They\u2019re all good ways to untether yourself from the distractions of today’s best phones<\/a>, but the best dumbphone isn\u2019t one I need to buy \u2014 it\u2019s already something I have wrapped around my wrist. I\u2019ve had my Apple Watch Series 9<\/a> for a good while now and recently used it exclusively as a dumb phone to better free myself from the digital noise of my primary device.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Even though dumbphones have quietly been making a comeback<\/a>, I\u2019m not too optimistic about using one long term. While it\u2019s been a refreshing experience, I\u2019ve come across a few surprising things using my Apple Watch<\/a> as a dumbphone. Here\u2019s what it can (and can\u2019t) do.<\/p>\n

You may like<\/p>\n

What you need to know<\/p>\n

\n

\"Apple\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Tom’s Guide \/ John Velasco)<\/p>\n

First of all, I have an Apple Watch Series 9 with cellular connectivity \u2014 which is essential for making it a true, dedicated device. Secondly, it requires its own data plan to function properly when it\u2019s not connected to a Wi-Fi network.<\/p>\n

Of course, this is an additional expense \u2014 and you\u2019ll generally pay about $100 more upfront for a model with cellular capabilities. You don\u2019t necessarily need an Apple Watch either, given how many of the best smartwatches<\/a> on the market also offer cellular versions. If you do want to stick with Apple, the most affordable option right now is the Apple Watch SE 3<\/a> at $299.<\/p>\n

Phone calls, texting, and (yes) emails<\/p>\n

\n

\"Apple\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Tom’s Guide \/ John Velasco)<\/p>\n

Just like any dumbphone, I\u2019m able to make phone calls and send text messages with my Apple Watch. For texting, I\u2019ve leaned on Siri<\/a> for voice dictation since the on-screen keyboard isn\u2019t ideal for long messages. It also helps that iMessage offers several quick-reply suggestions; often, I just tap one and that\u2019s all there is to it.<\/p>\n

This also applies to emails, which I\u2019ve been trying to steer clear of during this experiment. Unlike on my smartphone, I\u2019m less inclined to actually read through them because doing so on such a tiny display is a bit of a chore.<\/p>\n

Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Now this one\u2019s probably the biggest benefit of switching to a dumbphone, since none of the popular social media apps I use daily on my smartphone are available on the Apple Watch. This means I\u2019m spending less screen time as a whole, choosing instead to pass the time during my commute on the train by doing other things like listening to music.<\/p>\n

Connect wireless headphones<\/p>\n

\n

\"A\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)<\/p>\n

Speaking of music, I\u2019m able to connect my AirPods Pro 3<\/a> directly to my Apple Watch. I typically do this because, while the internal speaker is a fallback, I\u2019d much rather take phone calls in public using earbuds to keep my conversations private. What\u2019s even better is that I can pair almost any Bluetooth<\/a> device to the Watch, including my Pixel Buds Pro 2<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Most music apps don\u2019t work offline<\/p>\n

\n

\"Apple\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Tom’s Guide \/ John Velasco)<\/p>\n

The most infuriating part about using my Apple Watch this way is that it only supports standalone streaming with a few apps. I already have subscriptions for Amazon Prime Music<\/a> and YouTube Music<\/a>, but neither lets me stream directly from the Watch \u2014 they simply act as remote controls for my iPhone.<\/p>\n

You may like<\/p>\n

Not surprisingly, Apple Music<\/a> streams over cellular without needing my iPhone nearby, but I can only listen to so much of that old U2 album that’s been tied to my account for years. While the radio function provides some variety, my only other real option for fresh music is Spotify<\/a>, which also supports standalone cellular streaming.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s frustrating because I would much rather access the specific playlists and songs I\u2019ve already saved with my YouTube<\/a> Music subscription.<\/p>\n

Other ways to wear it<\/p>\n

\n

\"Apple\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Tom’s Guide \/ John Velasco)<\/p>\n

As much as it\u2019s convenient to have my phone on my wrist, there are times and special occasions when I\u2019d rather be wearing something fancier \u2014 like my Withings ScanWatch Nova<\/a>. For this exact reason, I ended up buying an accessory that acts more like a phone case for my Apple Watch. It\u2019s definitely something worth thinking about because it still gives me that feel of a phone, without all of the distractions of a typical smartphone.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re like me and love wearing your Apple Watch, but not on your wrist, here are some other solutions I\u2019ve explored.<\/p>\n

Bottom line<\/p>\n

\n

\"Apple\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Tom’s Guide \/ John Velasco)<\/p>\n

Using my Apple Watch as a dumbphone has been a sobering experience. It exposes how much time I really waste scrolling endlessly on my phone. Without those distractions, I was able to focus on priorities that matter\u2014like working on small projects around my home that I\u2019ve been putting off.<\/p>\n

At the same time, I know that I can\u2019t use this setup forever. But if I ever do need to disconnect and refocus, I know I already have the perfect tool right on my wrist. This is why I can\u2019t stress enough how the best dumbphone could already be something you own and you don\u2019t need to waste more money buying yet another gadget.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n

\"Google\n<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Follow Tom’s Guide on Google News<\/a> and add us as a preferred source<\/a> to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds. <\/p>\n

More from Tom’s Guide<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"I haven\u2019t used one exclusively for a long time, but dumbphones do still exist today. You\u2019ve got retro-looking…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":249315,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[342,111,139,69,145],"class_list":{"0":"post-249314","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-mobile","8":"tag-mobile","9":"tag-new-zealand","10":"tag-newzealand","11":"tag-nz","12":"tag-technology"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/249314","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=249314"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/249314\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/249315"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=249314"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=249314"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=249314"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}