What is The Light Phone?

The Light Phone is a discreet credit card sized mobile phone designed to be used as little as possible. It is the only phone designed to be used as your second phone as a seamless extension of your smartphone. It is an unlocked 2G GSM phone that works independent of your current plan, but using our unique software platform it can keep your same phone number. The Light Phone is easily set up and controlled via an app on your computer. Other features are limited to nine speed dials and a time display.

An active SIM is required because the phone is not tethered, it will work regardless of where your smartphone is. The cost of using our service is approximately $5/month in the United States.

What are the specifications?

Color  Matte White / Matte Black
Weight  38.5 grams
Processor  Qualcomm 8208
Display  OLED
Battery  3 Days Standby
SIM  Nano SIM
Connector  Micro USB
Language  English
Connection  GSM 850/900 1800/1900 MHz

How does it work?

The Light Phone is your second phone, like how we have different shoes for different occasions, this is your phone for going light. Out of the box, plug the phone into your computer and download our app. The phone will update, an account will be created, and you will set up your 9 speed dials. To go light, you will need to turn on call forwarding on your smartphone using a contact that the app creates for you. (Note: your carrier must support call forwarding for this to be possible) The Light Phone will use your existing phone number for outbound calls. The Light Phone is a new product, and the experience will be evolving and improving over time.

But, Why?

Please read our manifesto.

When will it be available again?

The Light Phone has been in high demand since its launch in January 2017, and we are often out of stock as we tend to pre-sell our batches of phones before they reach our online store. We hope to have a new batch by fall 2018 and will be emailing our reservations list with the opportunity to pre-order prior to October. The next batch is limited in quantity and likely to sell out, please leave us your information using our reservation form so we can follow up when we confirm our future inventory - thelightphone.com/region to reserve.

How is it different than other basic phones?

The Light Phone is the only phone that is designed to be used as a second phone. We have a unique software platform that makes the call management & call forwarding seamless in a way that no other phone can offer. The form factor makes it fit invisibly into your life, and the interface respects the user in its simplicity. It makes disconnecting feel special. Unlike a basic flip phone, you cannot text, email or anything else really. It is the most simple phone and a complement to your existing smartphone. The Light Phone, although incredibly simple, is actually running a stripped down version of Android and is quite a smart "dumb" phone which will allow us to continue to perfect the light experience with a roadmap of features.

How do you set it up?

The Light Phone is set up through a desktop app on your computer.

Will it work with my carrier?

The Light Phone works independent of your carrier as a stand alone phone with its own nano 2G GSM SIM. The Light Phone will require service and we are offering the whole experience (SIM + app) for $10 a month in the US only.

Does it text? Wifi? Blue tooth?

No, its takes and makes calls... that's all. The Light Phone is just a phone.

Why no texting? Why nine speed dials?

We are thoughtfully limiting our technology, 'going light', so that we can reconnect in meaningful ways with the world around us. These were design decisions that were carefully made for what it means to be light.

What about ringtone or vibrate only modes?

The Light Phone has a ringtone but can also be set to vibrate only mode .

How much does it cost?

The Light Phone is for sale for $150 plus shipping and handling. In the United States the Light Phone ships with our SIM card, which can be used for $10/month. International users may incur additional customs fees which are out of our control, please check with your customs office before you order.

Can it work as a stand alone phone?

The Light Phone works as a stand alone phone, however we did not design it to be used in this way and we are hesitant to recommend doing so. There are some intentional limitations in place as we designed the phone to be used as a second phone. The Light Phone does not store a book of contacts but rather only 9 speed dials accessed via the key pad. The Light Phone only makes phone calls and does not receive sms text messages. The Light Phone was designed as a casual phone.

What is included?

The Light Phone comes with a SIM card, and our Light Micro USB cable. We are going to make it as special as possible, expect pleasant surprises.

*Unfortunately we cannot provide a SIM to our international users yet.

How does the service fee work?

We have spent the last year talking with dozens of carriers and MVNOs and have found an amazing partnership to offer the Light Phone SIM and software platform experience for $10 a month.

International users have no service fee, but will need to provide their own SIM and will not have access to our cloud platform.

Can two phones forward to one Light Phone?

In theory yes this might be possible, but this is a feature that will not be available at launch. The Light Phone is a new product with a small, but passionate team behind it. We will be working closely with users to get feedback and continually improve the experience. Thank you for understanding and coming along for the ride.

What platforms will it support?

The desktop app will support Mac, Windows and Linux.

Will it work if my phone dies?

The Light Phone will work independent of your smart phone. You will always be able to place any call, including your speed dials. However, you must turn on call forwarding before your smartphone dies to receive calls forwarded from your primary number.

Is it waterproof?

The Light Phone is not waterproof, however, because of its compact size, we plan to offer awesome accessories like a waterproof beach wallet.

Why credit card sized?

In thinking about how to make The Light Phone as invisible as possible, we decided that by being the same size as an I.D. or credit card, which you always carry on your person, there would always be a place to put the phone. It's a very classic size, and feels great to hold.

What about   #   and  *  buttons?

Two rather uncommon buttons, especially for the purpose of this phone, can be used with long holds X. This will be explained in the User Guide.

What is next for Light?

Light will continue to design beautiful objects that respect and empower.

Is it available internationally?

We're happy to ship the phone internationally however, we cannot provide SIM cards. You will also be responsible for any customs fees. These vary depending on the country you are in so we would recommend checking with your customs office before you order. We won’t be able to provide a refund if you reject the shipment due to these fees.

The Light Phone will ship as an unlocked 2G GSM phone. It uses a 850/900/1800/1900 MHz GSM frequency and will work anywhere in the world that has a GSM carrier. You will need to find an appropriate local Nano SIM. You will still use the desktop app to set up speed dials and update your Light Phone.

The cloud software platform is not yet available outside the US. The most notable feature lost is masking outgoing calls with your primary number.

We're sorry for the inconvenience and thank you for understanding and spending some time with our project. It is truly amazing for our small team to see interest from around the world.

How do I get help & support?

Shoot us an email - info@thelightphone.com

What is the return policy?

We are still a small team. We will do everything we can to troubleshoot problems with the product, but we currently do not accept returns except in the case of a factory defect. Thank you for understanding!

What about smart watches or VR?

We can save that conversation for the bar...