The Light Phone has unveiled a new batch of features for its upcoming Light Phone 2, a successor to the original phone that is billed as an ultra-minimalist device to help steer people away from tech.
According to The Verge, the new phone will take the same minimalist approach but will add a few more features, such as replacing its 10-digit number pad with a touchscreen.
The new phone will support 4G and include the ability to send text messages.
The device could likely add new options in the future, such as maps, music and ride-sharing technology, possibly with a partnership with Uber or Lyft, according to the Verge.
Unlike its predecessor, the Light Phone 2 can stand on its own. The old Light Phone made it easier for people to forward calls from their main device to the Light Phone.
The company plans to release the Light Phone 2 in April 2019.
The original Light Phone was announced in 2015 with a 2016 release date, but it didn’t become a reality until January 2017.
Currently, the phone can be supported on Indiegogo for $225. The phone will be priced later at $400.
The Deseret News spoke with Joe Hollier, who headed up the original Light Phone project with Kaiwei Tang to encourage people to spend less time on their phones. The pair said back in December that it had sold more than $10,000 of its phones and currently had a waiting list.
Hollier said the device allows people to “go light” and not always carry their actual smart devices with them everywhere.
“We encourage people to just be conscious,” Hollier said. “We don’t have to bring our smartphone everywhere.”
