Dumb Phone vs Flip Phone vs Feature Phone, What’s the Difference?

What is a dumb phone? It’s a phone that’s not a smartphone. So, like a flip phone? Sometimes, but not necessarily…some modern dumb phones (like Zalpha Phone) have touchscreens and don’t flip; some flip phones are smartphones. So a dumb phone a same thing as feature phone? Usually, but not always…all dumb phones are feature phones, but not all feature phones are dumb phones. I know it can be confusing, a quick explainer to clear up the difference between dumb phones, flip phones, and feature phones:

What is a Dumb Phone?

A dumb phone is a phone that’s, well dumb. It doesn’t have the smart features typically found on smartphones like internet, an app store, or social media. Dumb phones have been around for decades, but until the invention of the smartphone we just called them phones (or cellphones). In short, a dumb phone is a phone that’s actually a phone, a device for calling (and sometimes texting) plus maybe a couple other basic features. Some dumb phones, mainly flip phones and candy-bar phones, look like they’re from the 90’s (because they are), while other newer dumb phones have a more modern look and feel.

Zalpha Dumb Phone

What is a Flip Phone?

A flip phone is a phone with a clam-shell design that flips open. When most people think of flip phones they think of old dumb phones, but many flip phones these days are internet enabled and contain a surprising number of apps.

There’s even a new crop of full-featured high-end touchscreen flip smartphones (like the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip). Some flip phones are dumb phones, some are smartphones. Some dumb phones are flip phones, some are not.

What is Feature Phone?

A feature phone is a phone with a limited set of features. Feature phones do not have access to an app store and have a fixed set of features. The range of capabilities on feature phones can vary widely. Some feature phones have access to many pre-installed apps (just no app store). Others are dumb phones with just basic functionality like calling/texting. Technically speaking, a feature phone can have any design if the features are limited and there is no app store; some feature phones are flip phones, but not all of them. All dumb phones are feature phones (they have a limited set of features and no app store), but not all feature phones are dumb phones. Some feature phones are smartphones with a wide range capabilities and of pre-installed apps.