Randomly stumbled upon this: https://old.reddit.com/r/dumbphones/comments/1obfvuj/the_dumbdroid_store_has_launched_you_can_buy_a/
Seems like a cool project
Wow, yall posts like this usually hawk $600 phones after their schpiel but this seems actually affordable (≈£150)
Need this.
Swap WhatsApp for Signal and you got yourself a deal
From their FAQ:
Do you support WhatsApp, Messenger and Signal?
Yes we do! These also work with push notifications via MicroG or Google Play Services to ensure you get instant updates!
LineageOS 21 on a Nokia-style shell is a solid foundation, but the real question is what SoC actually drives this. WhatsApp compatibility has historically been hit or miss on custom ROMs, and the Maps situation depends entirely on whether MicroG GMS is included. The Reddit thread mentions a store launch, so pricing and actual availability matter as much as the software.
Is WhatsApp supposed to be a selling point?
In South America, it’s absolutely essential.
Right?
I see that and am instantly turned off
I’m gonna guess that most people (myself included) saw the candybar format and the word “Nokia” and assumed it was a “dumb” phone. I’m guessing they looked at the messaging app with the largest or broadest market share and used that as a point to clarify that it’s a “smart” phone.
Indeed.
WhatsApp is Meta and should be avoided as much as possible, but there are some countries where it’s everywhere.
I just looked up a flat rental for summer, got contacted by the agency on Whatsapp. I’m not going to try to convert a real estate agent to Delta chat or Signal.
It’s also more popular with older folks who this phone probably targets.
Doesn’t it say it runs on LineageOS? If so I assume you can just as easily install Signal on it.
sure, but why is WhatsApp a selling point…
used to be Facebook was the selling point for he simple minded… now it’s moved to whatsapp
This kind of “dumb” phones are not typically marketed to privacy and security cautious people like us. They are trying to mostly reach regular people that want to “detox” from social media but at the same time also have a usable device. Like it or not especially in Europe everyone uses WhatsApp to communicate, so it is something that most regular people consider necessary.
The DumbDroid store has been floating around r/dumbphones for a bit now, and the Dumber Mini is the most polished piece of hardware to come out of it. LineageOS 21 on a Nokia-style shell with WhatsApp and Maps covers the three things that actually kill feature phone adoption. The real test is whether this ships as an actual device or stays as another ROM project that Reddit loves and nobody actually buys.
Can’t find anything about the battery being removeable or not. Would like to know that. If it does have that, i might try this one out! Sounds very interesting.
Battery Capacity 3000mAh (Not Detachable)
I’d prefer detachable but as long as it’s not soldered in changing a battery takes like 30-45 mins.
