What is a 'dumb phone' - and why are so many young people buying them?

In a world obsessed with smartphones, it may come as a surprise that a growing number of teenagers are opting for "dumb phones" instead. 

The stripped-down, basic mobile devices we might have donned a decade or two ago are making a comeback among the younger generations, as teenagers seek to regain independence from technology.

In the United States, sales of phones with just basic call and text capabilities were up in 2022 for HMD Global - the maker of Nokia - with tens of thousands sold each month.

"We see that the market for flip phones is up 5 per cent," said Lars Silberbauer, chief marketing officer of Nokia Phones and HMD Global.

"We've doubled our market share in the last year of flip phones, which is quite important for us. And we see that is now picking up in Europe," he told Euronews Next.

"I think the trend is really [about] people taking control of their own lives, of their own digital lives," he adds.

With their limited features, dumbphones - usually flip phones - provide a simpler and less addictive user experience than their smartphone counterparts.

The devices prioritise essential telephone functions, such as making calls and sending texts. They eliminate the temptations of social media platforms that consume, on average, over 7 hours a day for more than 50 per cent of teenagers, according to a survey done with over 40 thousand participants on Real Research, an online survey app.

The long hours of scrolling have proven to have a detrimental effect on our psychological well-being. Multiple studies have shown a potential connection between endless scrolling and the development of ADHD symptoms, depression, anxiety, and sleep deprivation.

Silberbauer thinks the rise of dumbphones highlights a growing awareness among