We were impressed by Light Phone II’s simplicity and minimalism but if I can be honest, it was anything but sleek. That said, if that was the main reason stopping you from adopting this distraction-free communication device, we have good news. There’s a new Light Phone that is much sleeker and dare I say more desirable.
Folks, meet the Light Phone III. This new iteration of the conventional obliterating, distraction-free communication device remains true to the company’s mission but is a lot more functional and we say it again, sleeker. As before, there is no fancy wallpaper or widget to entice you to look at it longer beyond the functions you are using.
There is no fancy menu either. Wake up the phone and what greets is a text-based menu with key options including Phone, Alarm, Directions (i.e. maps), Music, Notes, and Calendar.
The Light Phone III is another phone that wants to be used for as long as you can—though so, ironically, it has a new iteration just a year later. I guess it is a different device for new adopters. Maybe? I don’t know.
The phone aims to bring you “meaningful software updates” so it can stay relevant and therefore you will not be compelled to buy a new phone for new features.
The new Light Phone boasts a metal frame, USB-C port, fingerprint ID, a flashlight, 5G connectivity (yay!), an NFC chip, a clickable wheel (nice!), and there are even cameras now. But the camera is not quite what you expect. It kind of goes all Lomo, drawing inspiration from point-and-shoot film cameras.
It features a dedicated two-step shutter button, with a center focus and a fixed focal length. Nothing fancy; but something that will take you to your father or grandfather’s era.
The device is made to last and as such repairability ranks high on the list. It has an accessible battery, an easier-to-replace screen, and a USB port. Plus, it uses Sony SORPLAS recycled plastic for the battery cover as well as the speaker grill.
One major upgrade is the display. The new Light Phone ditches the e-ink display for a 3.92” AMOLED HD+ (1,240 x 1,080) screen with matte glass. It is of course more powerful. It is powered by a Qualcomm SM 4450 chipset (i.e. Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 Mobile Platform), bolstered by 6 GB RAM and 128 GB ROM.
Considering the simplicity of the functions and the non-graphic intensive nature, I think this chip is more than enough to handle whatever you may be using.
Other details include a USB 2.0 with Type-C interface, a 50 MP rear camera and an 8 MP front camera, nano SIM+eSIM, a 1,800 mAh battery, dual mic setup, 2 stereo speakers, GPS, Bluetooth 5.0, and it is IP54 rated.
If anyone’s interested, you can pre-order the new Light Phone III from thelightphone.com at a special pre-order price of US$399 (U.P. US$799).
But be you jump on it, there are a couple of things you should know. Firstly, the device will not ship until January 2025 and secondly, while it is sold as an unlocked device, you ought to confirm your local carrier compatibility.
Images: The Light Phone Inc.
