Light Phone 2 Is A Compact, Minimalist Rebuke Of The Smartphone Establishment
The new Light Phone 2 is being billed as a phone that gives you the basics (i.e. phone calls and SMS messaging), but adds in a few other features to make the device a bit more livable in our fast-paced world. The Light Phone 2 improves upon its predecessor with an e-ink display on front of the device. With this touch display, you can punch in a phone number to dial or use the on-screen keyboard for typing out quick messages.
In order to save you from information overload or social media hell, you will not find Facebook, Twitter, or any other social media platforms supported at all. You can also forget about a web browser, email or a news-reading platform. You also won't be subject to advertising, which can be a plus for some.
On the other hand, there is a strong possibility that a weather app, voice command support, a maps/navigation app and ride-sharing services (like Uber and Lyft) will be supported. Light, the company behind the Light Phone 2, says that it will only add these aforementioned features if they make sense.
On the hardware front, the Light Phone 2 is powered by a Qualcomm MSM8909W processor with 1GB of RAM, has 8GB of internal storage, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, GPS, nanoSIM slot, two navigational buttons (to scroll through menus), a USB-C port for charging, speaker, headphone jack, proximity sensor and water resistant anodized aluminum chassis.
We should mention that there are other compromises as well. Light says that the phone, which is powered by a LightOS (a modified variant of Android) only has a 500 mAh battery, which is good for just a few hours of talk time (5 days standby).
The Light Phone 2 is currently going through a funding run on Indiegogo and has reached 28 percent of its goal with 25 days left. You can reserve the phone by forking over $250, and it has an estimated shipping date of April 2019.
