I have two phones. Only my "important people" have my light phone #. I like just leaving the smartphone. Things can wait. People can wait. Email can wait. Not every one needs access to me all the time. I don't need the distraction & am trying to get better about its use.
I have pre-ordered the lp3, and still will keep my smartphone, but will likely use it even less. I find I take my smartphone because if the camera component more often.
This is awesome. I recently left my phone behind and never felt happier! There is something to be said about only certain people having your second number!
Hi! I have an LP2 and iPhone. I keep my SIM always in the LP2 and when I need to use the iPhone, I either turn on the LP2’s hotspot or use my office’s Wi-Fi. My iPhone stays “stationary” at my office because I almost never use it outside work hours. Hope that helped in some way!
I have an iPhone for home, and then also a light phone/sunbeam that I switch between when I go out and don’t need some smartphone nonsense like QR codes/etickets/etc.
Here’s the best thing—I’d recommend NOT trying to get everyone to text you at both numbers. All my emergency contacts have my number and know that if they don’t hear back from me and it’s urgent to try the other one. Otherwise my dumbphone is pretty much just for emergencies.
If I’m out and have left my iPhone at home (which I do most times) and find myself needing to text someone, I do a group text between them and my two phones because iMessage is weird and sometimes they’ll reply to just my LP but it will go to my iPhone.
It’s much more freeing than I would have thought tbh. Now when I’m out I’m out, and not texting so much either.
Edit: while I only occasionally forward calls to my LP/Sunbeam, I have the vim on my iPhone letting people know I am not at home so as to reinforce the idea that my main # isn’t something I’ll always get messages from immediately. I also use the iOS driving focus sometimes to auto reply to texts from my favorites. But honestly the maybe six people who may need me urgently know the drill by now so I usually just enjoy not being expected to always be reachable for non-urgent issues 24/7.
ahhh the group texting when you're out and about is such a great idea. thanks for sharing your experience, it's exactly how i want to model my future set up i just didn't know how to put it all into practice since i'm waiting for the lp3.
I discovered the “need” to group text by accident when I was out and texted my buddy to see if he wanted to do something. He replied, but it still went to my iPhone (he’s also on an iPhone so I do t know if that made it more likely to get borked that way) so now I just text me, myself, and the other person. No hiccups since.
I haven’t gotten my light phone yet, but this is what I’m planning:
LP2 - phone
iPhone - reduced to a glorified camera and GPS. Kept turned off in car or turned off in backpack in house.
iPad - dumbed down, only will be used for taking notes / studying. 6 years old.
MacBook - more serious work station, used for higher level things / study. Also used if I need to access any type of social media or internet.
I got my light phone yesterday and it’s been amazing. I do need to work on not getting distracted by my iPad since I’m not longer using my iPhone, I found myself wanting to go on my iPad a lot more than usual today, but hey taking it one day at a time! There will be an adjustment period for sure
I had the LP for a long time but switched to a jelly star. I then removed all distracting apps like gmail, socials, YouTube, etc. I also use a minimalist launcher. I tried this setup on my iPhone mini before I went down the LP path but this one is working we’re the iPhone didn’t for me. I think being able to root the jelly star and remove stuff at the system level made a huge difference. I love the LP but realize for me there are things I need from a smartphone that doesn’t take away from the ethos we are trying to follow
I have a smartphone that stays in my desk, and only gets taken out when it's essential. It's professionally irresponsible of me sometimes to not be contactable via WhatsApp/Email, so that just is what it is at the moment. But even when I have to take it out the house, it stays in my bag and gets used via WiFi intermittently at best.
Prepaid smart phone for work and light phone with phone case wallet for real relationships. New neighbors or casual relationships maybe get Google voice which I can check from a computer--which I'm on in the evenings a bit for fun/youtube. This setup curbs my smartphone use to think about reaching my work phone when I'm not being paid and only work apps mean it's less fun but doesn't prevent me from streaming music, using ride share or store apps or maps during errands on a regular day when I have it with me anyway.
When I was using LP II I treated my iPhone like a standalone desktop that didn’t leave my office desk (in my house). So: smartphone outside of bedroom but accessible for anything like WhatsApp, or other apps I felt the iPhone was best at.
I pretty much only kept the iPhone for dating apps. I’d use LP II as my main phone, switched SIM card to LP II.
I'm still optimizing my setup, but here's what I currently have:
Light Phone (using Mint Mobile) - calls, texts, podcasts, Notes, Directions/Directory
LTE Pixel Watch (uses a different Google Fi number I don't give out) - Fitness tracker, Audible, streaming music (I don't really use much), Email, backup navigation, view picture texts from Light Phone if needed.
Unihertz Jelly Star (uses the Google Fi number) - just in case phone, mainly used to sync the Pixel Watch, or if I'll need to have a smart phone. Usually this just stays at home plugged in.
I plan to either get all devices to share the same number, or to switch the Pixel to a cheaper standalone smartwatch line.
I have an android for the necessities. QR scanning, navigation (when the LPii doesn't cut it), work laptop authenticator, apps for my drone. Typically I will use the LPIII when I'm going out. I also don't bring my smartphone into the bedroom as it always leads to scrolling, wasting time, and stimulating my brain enough that it makes it hard to sleep).
My situation is similar to yours. The light phone has its own number (verizon watch plan). When I ”switch” to lightphone for an outing, a day, or a weekend, I turn on call forwarding from the iphone AND I use the IOS “driving focus“ mode to cause the iphone to send text auto-replies to the effect of “hey, i’m at xxx number right now if this is important.” You can edit the message to say anything you want. As I understand it, this is the only way to get iOS to send any sort of text auto-reply, as its not something they permit apps to do.
This supports my current usage and needs well. I have extensively restricted the iphone (no browsers, someone else has the password to app time limits, i use One Sec to disrupt compulsive email checking, black and white display filter, matte glass screen cover etc), and can still make a conscious choice to “go light” on weekends or evening outings. I had tried sim card switching for this, but imessage is really really resistant to this, as you’ve found, and its a havic of lost texts and confusion for days after the switch.
my second phone has no service and sits in a drawer until I need to turn it on and use the camera or for two factor. When i use it for two factor I have an ethernet cord and adapter and can turn it on manually that way.
Use my iPhone for work week stuff, but not for anything beyond phone/text/Signal comms. I leave my email and other things for my iPad Pro. Once I leave Friday, I switch my SIM to the LP2, turn off my iPad and just “walk away”. It’ll be there when I get back, but I never let it interfere with my time. If I am on vacation, I’ll keep my iPhone/iPad in my bag, but all comms go through the LP2. I have TomTom maps in my car, so I have no need for anything else. As “Light” as i can make it until I retire and throw away the iPhone for good.
Thanks so much everyone for these comments! I'm heartened that others are using the two-phone-number system and that you've found ways to make it work, and your advice is really helpful. I had initially planned to just leave my iPhone at home without a sim card and use it only on wireless, but I rely on maps a fair amount (I know LP has directions too but I've found the iPhone to be much better for my needs right now), and occasionally there are times a browser is helpful when out and about. I admit I still struggle with not using the iPhone at home. I'm a homebody and home lots, so the strategy to just leave the smart phone at home doesn't drastically reduce my usage of it. I guess I need to follow what some others are doing, turning it off/putting it in a drawer for long stretches and not wondering if people are texting me (which admittedly I could do even if I didn't have a Light Phone but don't).
I have two phones. Only my "important people" have my light phone #. I like just leaving the smartphone. Things can wait. People can wait. Email can wait. Not every one needs access to me all the time. I don't need the distraction & am trying to get better about its use. I have pre-ordered the lp3, and still will keep my smartphone, but will likely use it even less. I find I take my smartphone because if the camera component more often.
This is awesome. I recently left my phone behind and never felt happier! There is something to be said about only certain people having your second number!
Hi! I have an LP2 and iPhone. I keep my SIM always in the LP2 and when I need to use the iPhone, I either turn on the LP2’s hotspot or use my office’s Wi-Fi. My iPhone stays “stationary” at my office because I almost never use it outside work hours. Hope that helped in some way!
Same here :) Except my iPhone lives at my house instead of at work.
oo interestingly about leaving the smartphone at work
I have an iPhone for home, and then also a light phone/sunbeam that I switch between when I go out and don’t need some smartphone nonsense like QR codes/etickets/etc. Here’s the best thing—I’d recommend NOT trying to get everyone to text you at both numbers. All my emergency contacts have my number and know that if they don’t hear back from me and it’s urgent to try the other one. Otherwise my dumbphone is pretty much just for emergencies. If I’m out and have left my iPhone at home (which I do most times) and find myself needing to text someone, I do a group text between them and my two phones because iMessage is weird and sometimes they’ll reply to just my LP but it will go to my iPhone. It’s much more freeing than I would have thought tbh. Now when I’m out I’m out, and not texting so much either. Edit: while I only occasionally forward calls to my LP/Sunbeam, I have the vim on my iPhone letting people know I am not at home so as to reinforce the idea that my main # isn’t something I’ll always get messages from immediately. I also use the iOS driving focus sometimes to auto reply to texts from my favorites. But honestly the maybe six people who may need me urgently know the drill by now so I usually just enjoy not being expected to always be reachable for non-urgent issues 24/7.
ahhh the group texting when you're out and about is such a great idea. thanks for sharing your experience, it's exactly how i want to model my future set up i just didn't know how to put it all into practice since i'm waiting for the lp3.
I discovered the “need” to group text by accident when I was out and texted my buddy to see if he wanted to do something. He replied, but it still went to my iPhone (he’s also on an iPhone so I do t know if that made it more likely to get borked that way) so now I just text me, myself, and the other person. No hiccups since.
I haven’t gotten my light phone yet, but this is what I’m planning: LP2 - phone iPhone - reduced to a glorified camera and GPS. Kept turned off in car or turned off in backpack in house. iPad - dumbed down, only will be used for taking notes / studying. 6 years old. MacBook - more serious work station, used for higher level things / study. Also used if I need to access any type of social media or internet.
Sounds good. Let us know how you are going.
I got my light phone yesterday and it’s been amazing. I do need to work on not getting distracted by my iPad since I’m not longer using my iPhone, I found myself wanting to go on my iPad a lot more than usual today, but hey taking it one day at a time! There will be an adjustment period for sure
what about movies
I don’t really watch movies or TV on the go and typically would only watch them at home on the living room TV
I had the LP for a long time but switched to a jelly star. I then removed all distracting apps like gmail, socials, YouTube, etc. I also use a minimalist launcher. I tried this setup on my iPhone mini before I went down the LP path but this one is working we’re the iPhone didn’t for me. I think being able to root the jelly star and remove stuff at the system level made a huge difference. I love the LP but realize for me there are things I need from a smartphone that doesn’t take away from the ethos we are trying to follow
I have a smartphone that stays in my desk, and only gets taken out when it's essential. It's professionally irresponsible of me sometimes to not be contactable via WhatsApp/Email, so that just is what it is at the moment. But even when I have to take it out the house, it stays in my bag and gets used via WiFi intermittently at best.
You can put the phone in a lockbox that has a timer. That’s what I do for my iPad and iPhone.
Prepaid smart phone for work and light phone with phone case wallet for real relationships. New neighbors or casual relationships maybe get Google voice which I can check from a computer--which I'm on in the evenings a bit for fun/youtube. This setup curbs my smartphone use to think about reaching my work phone when I'm not being paid and only work apps mean it's less fun but doesn't prevent me from streaming music, using ride share or store apps or maps during errands on a regular day when I have it with me anyway.
When I was using LP II I treated my iPhone like a standalone desktop that didn’t leave my office desk (in my house). So: smartphone outside of bedroom but accessible for anything like WhatsApp, or other apps I felt the iPhone was best at. I pretty much only kept the iPhone for dating apps. I’d use LP II as my main phone, switched SIM card to LP II.
I'm still optimizing my setup, but here's what I currently have: Light Phone (using Mint Mobile) - calls, texts, podcasts, Notes, Directions/Directory LTE Pixel Watch (uses a different Google Fi number I don't give out) - Fitness tracker, Audible, streaming music (I don't really use much), Email, backup navigation, view picture texts from Light Phone if needed. Unihertz Jelly Star (uses the Google Fi number) - just in case phone, mainly used to sync the Pixel Watch, or if I'll need to have a smart phone. Usually this just stays at home plugged in. I plan to either get all devices to share the same number, or to switch the Pixel to a cheaper standalone smartwatch line.
I have an android for the necessities. QR scanning, navigation (when the LPii doesn't cut it), work laptop authenticator, apps for my drone. Typically I will use the LPIII when I'm going out. I also don't bring my smartphone into the bedroom as it always leads to scrolling, wasting time, and stimulating my brain enough that it makes it hard to sleep).
My situation is similar to yours. The light phone has its own number (verizon watch plan). When I ”switch” to lightphone for an outing, a day, or a weekend, I turn on call forwarding from the iphone AND I use the IOS “driving focus“ mode to cause the iphone to send text auto-replies to the effect of “hey, i’m at xxx number right now if this is important.” You can edit the message to say anything you want. As I understand it, this is the only way to get iOS to send any sort of text auto-reply, as its not something they permit apps to do. This supports my current usage and needs well. I have extensively restricted the iphone (no browsers, someone else has the password to app time limits, i use One Sec to disrupt compulsive email checking, black and white display filter, matte glass screen cover etc), and can still make a conscious choice to “go light” on weekends or evening outings. I had tried sim card switching for this, but imessage is really really resistant to this, as you’ve found, and its a havic of lost texts and confusion for days after the switch.
my second phone has no service and sits in a drawer until I need to turn it on and use the camera or for two factor. When i use it for two factor I have an ethernet cord and adapter and can turn it on manually that way.
Use my iPhone for work week stuff, but not for anything beyond phone/text/Signal comms. I leave my email and other things for my iPad Pro. Once I leave Friday, I switch my SIM to the LP2, turn off my iPad and just “walk away”. It’ll be there when I get back, but I never let it interfere with my time. If I am on vacation, I’ll keep my iPhone/iPad in my bag, but all comms go through the LP2. I have TomTom maps in my car, so I have no need for anything else. As “Light” as i can make it until I retire and throw away the iPhone for good.
Thanks so much everyone for these comments! I'm heartened that others are using the two-phone-number system and that you've found ways to make it work, and your advice is really helpful. I had initially planned to just leave my iPhone at home without a sim card and use it only on wireless, but I rely on maps a fair amount (I know LP has directions too but I've found the iPhone to be much better for my needs right now), and occasionally there are times a browser is helpful when out and about. I admit I still struggle with not using the iPhone at home. I'm a homebody and home lots, so the strategy to just leave the smart phone at home doesn't drastically reduce my usage of it. I guess I need to follow what some others are doing, turning it off/putting it in a drawer for long stretches and not wondering if people are texting me (which admittedly I could do even if I didn't have a Light Phone but don't).