(Credit: LIght)
If the AI-heavy upgrades coming to iOS 18 and Android 15 are too much for you, Light is back with the next-gen version of its stripped-down smartphone.
The company is pitching the Light Phone III as "the most practical way to ditch your smartphone for good." It expands on the same simple design of its predecessor, allowing only applications that won't easily distract its users. No social media or email apps here, Light says.
Instead, the Light Phone III supports essential "tools": Alarm, Calculator, Calendar, Directory, Directions, Hotspot, Music, Notes/Voice Memo, Podcast, and Timer. More of these tools will be released over time via software updates, though they'll be optional, not pre-installed.
This latest model seems to address previous criticism that the earlier model was too simple for the price. The unlocked Light Phone III adds a metal frame, USB-C, fingerprint ID, a flashlight, 5G, an NFC chip, and a clickable wheel.
There's also a camera. The previous version's E Ink display meant that wasn't possible, but this time around, the Light Phone III sports a black-and-white matte OLED display for taking snaps with its 50MP rear-facing camera and 8MP front-facing shooter. The camera takes "inspiration from our favorite point-and-shoot film cameras [and] has a dedicated real shutter button, with center focus and a fixed focal length," Light says.
Those extras will cost you. After a preorder special, the Light Phone III will set you back $799, a big price jump from the Light Phone II's $299 price tag. It's available for preorder now for $399, but only until July 15. It ships in January 2025.