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The Light Phone III

thelightphone.com

21–30 of 71 posts

Re: The Light Phone III

#21

> We’ve also added a camera, but… in our own way. Taking inspiration from our favorite point-and-shoot film cameras, it has a dedicated two-step shutter button, with center focus and a fixed focal length. I'm most curious about this feature. It sounds like there's no preview of your photo? How do you get the pictures off the phone? Is the quality any good? I love the ideals of this this company ("stop using your phon…

Demetri Martin has a great joke on digital cameras: "I like digital cameras, because they enable you to reminisce immediately. Just like, look at us. We’re so young. Standing right there, wow. Where does the minute go?"

Re: The Light Phone III

#22
So many services now, including government, are requiring phones for "two step" authentication. There are technically alternatives like receiving a phone call or a secret word lookup table, but those are so impractical to use that I need my phone to be a TOTP device. I was close to putting in a preorder but I will need to see TOTP supported before I can drop my regular smart phone.

Re: The Light Phone III

#23

Shipping Jan 2025, normally $799 retail (does not include tax or shipping). For a phone that's almost certainly running Android under the hood, not having the ability to install Signal or Messenger or anything else just makes it dead on arrival imho.

> install Signal or Messenger or anything else just makes it dead on arrival imho. ? , that’s literally the selling point, that you cant install those things in this phone duh. Besides, they know what they are doing, they sell pretty well too. They churn out enough of these each year, that foxconn handles their manufacturing for this unit. They must be selling decent numbers in that case.

Personally, my phone is just a tool to use WhatsApp/Signal. 95% of the people I contact via call or message, I do so via WhatsApp/Signal. The remaining 5% are banks or businesses.

I understand the appeal for a simple phone, but this one won't work for people like me.

Re: The Light Phone III

#24

Shipping Jan 2025, normally $799 retail (does not include tax or shipping). For a phone that's almost certainly running Android under the hood, not having the ability to install Signal or Messenger or anything else just makes it dead on arrival imho.

> install Signal or Messenger or anything else just makes it dead on arrival imho. ? , that’s literally the selling point, that you cant install those things in this phone duh. Besides, they know what they are doing, they sell pretty well too. They churn out enough of these each year, that foxconn handles their manufacturing for this unit. They must be selling decent numbers in that case.

I understand the appeal of minimalism but in reality most people use messaging applications. Cutting them off from their existing networks is not a viable plan in my opinion. The developers even recognise this in their FAQ, where after stating they don't support Signal or Messenger they say:

> The Light Phone II can also used as a complement to your existing smartphone, for taking a break and going light, either by swapping your SIM between devices, or by getting a second phone number for the Light Phone II.

How many people will pay 800 dollars for a less functional version of a product they already own?

Re: The Light Phone III

#27
post #22

So many services now, including government, are requiring phones for "two step" authentication. There are technically alternatives like receiving a phone call or a secret word lookup table, but those are so impractical to use that I need my phone to be a TOTP device. I was close to putting in a preorder but I will need to see TOTP supported before I can drop my regular smart phone.

An alternative is a really slow and old android phone. One that has a visible lag as it logs in and you have to wait for a minute or so before the apps open.

Re: The Light Phone III

#28

Light Phone dudes, if your whole thing is going to be future-proofing and "planned obsolescence remains an outrage to us," maybe don't stick III at the end of your product's name.

What is the connection? You don't always have to buy the latest of anything, certainly not the latest Light Phone. And as I'm sure you read, "We have no plans to stop producing or supporting the Light Phone II."

If they serve different needs and purposes, then name them based on the distinct goals. On the other hand, if you get into a habit of regularly releasing new models that are strictly better than their predecessors, you're setting your internal incentives up towards encouraging your customers to upgrade, and that way lies planned obsolescence, despite your current best intentions.

Re: The Light Phone III

#29
post #17

This is looking better and better, and I really want to try it, but am unable to make the full leap. Has anyone had experience switching between the Light Phone and their daily phone on a day-by-day basis? My daily phone is Android, I don't know if that's relevant. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to work with Google Fi, but I could possibly switch carriers if it came to it.

For me, any carrier I switch to is more expensive than my current one. So, I've been waiting for them to add the ability to change APN settings for a couple years now as my light phone sits in the box...
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