Brooklyn-based Light Phone has announced the Light Flip phone, a $299 flip handset built for people who want fewer apps and fewer glass slabs in their pockets. The company says it made the device after hearing that its Light Phone III, despite its limited software and monochrome OLED screen, still felt too close to a smartphone for some buyers.
Light Phone CEO and cofounder Kaiwei Tang told Wired that the company interviewed more than two dozen Gen Z consumers who did not want to be seen using a smartphone. Tang said those users often dislike existing dumb flip phones from companies such as HMD and TCL because the devices break, lack repair support, run stale software, or still include social media. Some users who buy older phones also run into certification problems on major cellular networks, he said.
What is the Light Flip phone?
The Light Flip is a clamshell phone with no outer display, no touchscreen, and a front notification LED for alerts. Inside, it has a 2.8-inch OLED display and is controlled with a D-pad, three function keys, confirm and cancel buttons, and T9 texting with predictive text. That is a deliberate throwback, though one with 5G rather than a drawer full of obsolete chargers.
The device runs LightOS, the same platform used by the Light Phone III. Light Phone calls its built-in apps “tools,” and says the Flip will support the existing set when it launches, including Phone, Alarm, Calculator, Calendar, and Directions. The company announced a software development kit in May so third-party developers can build more tools, though Wired reported that some may need adjustments for the Flip’s non-touch interface.
What the hardware includes
Light Phone says the Flip includes USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 5G, Nano SIM and eSIM support, plus a headphone jack, a feature missing from the more expensive Light Phone III. It does not include NFC. The rear camera is 12 megapixels, and the battery is a replaceable 1,800-mAh pack. The phone also has stereo speakers and two microphones.
The Flip uses a plastic body rather than the Light Phone III’s metal construction, a choice that helps keep the price lower. It will be sold in black, navy, red, pink, yellow, and light gray. Light Phone lists the device as IP54-rated for dust and water resistance.
How much does the Light Flip cost?
The Light Flip costs $299 and is scheduled to ship in April 2027. Reservations are open now, according to the company. Light Phone is also offering a 24-month contract option at $39 per month, which includes service using AT&T and T-Mobile networks, 1 GB of data, and unlimited calls and texts.
Light Phone also operates as a mobile virtual network operator in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Cofounder Joe Hollier told Wired that the company felt it needed to offer a subscription-style option because phone buyers are used to that model. A similar plan for the Light Phone III costs $59 per month.
The pricing lands as Light Phone says RAM shortages are pushing the Light Phone III from $699 to $899, after earlier increases tied to tariffs. The Flip’s lower price gives the company a cheaper way to sell its anti-app-store pitch.
Tang linked the product to a broader rejection of smartphones, social apps, and AI among some younger buyers, pointing to the Summer of Ludd festival in New York City, where he said attendees booed people who pulled out smartphones to record video. Light Phone is not alone in chasing that mood: Commodore recently announced the $399 Callback 8020, a retro-styled flip phone that runs an operating system able to download Android apps while blocking social media apps and browsers, according to Wired.
This story draws on original reporting from WIRED.
