What better way to lower your smartphone usage by spending money on a phone that is barely even a phone?
All kidding aside, Meadow is a new company that released a self-titled device that lives somewhere between a smartphone and a dumbphone. It’s an area companies like Light and Mudita are trying to live in, but Meadow’s offering might be a bit too restrictive for some.
To start, the Meadow still gives you some basic features, such as calling and texting. Although it comes with app support, it’s very limited – Spotify, Uber, and a few other apps are available, but no social media or email.
The Meadow features a 4G mobile connection through eSIM. The phone comes with unlimited calls, texts, photo storage, and “more,” but you’ll need to pay $10 per month after the 9-month free subscription is up.
Also, the 4G service will only be certified for use in the U.S. at launch. Support for more countries will presumably come with time, but that remains an unknown for now.
Meadow says its self-titled device is not meant to be your primary device. Rather, it’s meant to live alongside your existing smartphone setup.
This might be why the Meadow limits you to just 12 contacts. While this might be fine for avoiding spam calls and texts, it also means you better know 12 people.
The hardware itself could be the biggest draw. Measuring only 1.3 inches long and 2 inches wide, the Meadow is a cute little thing that will barely take up any space in your pocket or bag.
That could be enough to take the sting away from the discounted $399 price tag. For comparison, the Light Phone 3 comes in at $699, while the Mudita Kompakt comes in at $399.
If you think the Meadow is for you, the company is taking orders now and plans to ship the next batch of devices in June.
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