In the era of TikTok and short videos on social media, of constant immediacy, some people are looking to regain some control over their digital lives. As a result, minimalism has been on the rise in recent years with products like the Boox Palma 2, for example, a smartphone-like tablet with an e-ink screen and an Android interface.
The company Light, founded in 2015, has launched pre-orders for its third smartphone, the Light Phone III. This one is a simple square of aluminum and matte black glass. It doesn't get any simpler. Its originality lies in the great simplicity offered by its user experience. The interface swaps colorful app icons for a list of basic features (call, camera, calculator, alarm, music playback, calendar, navigation, etc.), with the stated goal of helping the user use their smartphone only when they need it.
The finish looks pretty neat, with a bunch of buttons, including a shutter button, as well as a simple plate closed by four screws on the back to open the phone if necessary.
The spec sheet is completely outdated
All this is fine and dandy, but the product is sold for $799, and $599 for pre-orders, which is a premium smartphone price. Generally, in Europe, this translates to a price around 900 euros. For such a price, you'd expect a device with a large battery, multiple camera modules, including a telephoto lens, a large, well-calibrated OLED screen, a powerful chip, and complete waterproofing.
Certainly, most of these elements go against the very concept of the Light Phone III, but the device's technical specifications still seem outdated in several respects, especially given the price tag. Here it is below:
- Dimensions: 106mm x 71.5mm x 12mm
- Weight: 124g
- Network: 5G + 4G LTE
- Display: 3.92 inch AMOLED (1080×1240)
- Screen Protector: Matte Glass
- Port: USB-C 2.0
- Camera: 12m default image output (50m rear sensor / 8m front sensor)
- SIM: Nano SIM + E-SIM
- Memory: 128GB / 6GB RAM
- Battery: 1800mAH
- Sound: 2 mics (noise cancellation), 2 speakers stereo
- Features: GPS, Bluetooth 5.0, NFC, fingerprint ID
- Materials: Aluminum, glass, SORPLAS recycled plastic
- Chipset: Qualcomm SM 4450, aka the Snapdragon 4 Gen 2, a very entry-level chip.
- IP rating: IP 54
Could you use the Light Phone 3?
If the budget doesn't put you off and the rather unique experience (you have to know it) convinces you, you can definitely pre-order this device and use it in France. The manufacturer's page specifies that it works in 4G or 5G with the four French operators. The first deliveries will take place in July 2025.
0 Comments