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I have in my backlogs of projects (one day I will have time for them...) an extreme "dumb smartphone". I want to have maps, whatsapp, chatgpt, a document scann

I have in my backlogs of projects (one day I will have time for them...) an extreme "dumb smartphone". I want to have maps, whatsapp, chatgpt, a document scanner, my banking app, a guitar tuner... these are tools. So I need both an app whitelist (there are only so many apps that I actually use on my phone) and a website blacklist (no more HN, reddit, twitter, facebook, news websites, etc). I can use those on my computer but it won't be a mindless scroll whenever I have 5 minutes. Unfortunately I don't think this is feasible on iOS (I have tried Opal but it was so buggy I gave up). A custom Android launcher seems promising, but I have not found how to install a system wide firewall yet. Maybe creating a custom Android OS is the only way to have enough control?

littlecranky67 2y ago
An iPhone has this (not widely-known) feature already: Assistive Access Mode [0]. It is meant for elderly or people with disabilities. You can specify which apps to show in a simple grid, no access to any settings and dumbed down rights for the apps. Exiting the assistive access mode requires a 4-digit PIN. You can ask a friend to set the pin for you and write it down on a piece of paper store it in a safe space, or use an online time-lock service [1]. This is NOT the parental control mode where you need to setup stuff from another iCloud account. [0]: https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/assistive-access-iphone/welcome/ios https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/assistive-access-iphon... [1]: https://lockmeout.online https://lockmeout.online
- em500 2y ago
  You don't need Assistive Access Mode, even without parental control or another iCloud account you can disable pretty much any app (including Safari and App Store) via Screen Time -> Content & Privacy Restrictions. You do indeed need a trusted person to set a Screen Time Passcode and keep it safe.
tines 2y ago
I went down this path, it's actually very easy to uninstall the built-in web browser and the Play Store via adb, which actually got me exactly what I wanted in my dumb phone without too much technical work.
- cocoflunchy 2y ago
  The thing is I do want the web browser, because there are various situations where you can be very penalized by not having internet access. I want a whitelist for apps but a blacklist for websites. (One of my friends was stranded on the road after a car accident and his insurance required him to go on a specific website to get assistance...)
  - tines 2y ago
    Yeah that's rough, the world isn't friendly to dumbphone users. A website blacklist is pretty easy with the parental controls on most smartphones these days. Unless you're like me and you just disable the whitelist when it slightly inconveniences you :) I guess a better option would be to use a really low-spec smartphone, like the Cat S22 Flip, so that you can browse the web but it's really painful and less habit-forming. I used the S22 for a while and did kill my smartphone habit. The only problem was that it would crash randomly, which isn't acceptable for me. No silver bullet I'm afraid.
    - cocoflunchy 2y ago
      Yes I tried it and I always end up disabling it... that's why I need something more radical. As for the flip phone I want a good camera so not an option for me.
pololeono 2y ago
I have some expirience implementing an extreme dumb phone: I did it on a samsung smartphone using "Google family link" which is the parental control feature of android. You need a second ios or android device (yes the family link app to control your "children" also exists for IOS). This device you store in an inaccessible location and you tie it to an account of which you dont remember the password (just write a long sequence of random characters on a sheet of paper and store it in the same inaccessible place) Then you set everything up: You install the desired apps on the main phone. You prevent installation of additional apps through parent phone. You blacklist all addictive websites. (You can also block all preinstalled apps, in my case I had to block the browser app from Samsung, because the family link app does not restrict this browser it can only restrict chrome) I ended up with a very watertight dumb phone. One goal was also to prevent any access to porn through the phone. This is also a process, because sometimes you find new ways to access such content despite the google family filters. Then you just blacklist those additional ways. What I still have: WhatsApp (people suggest sometimes to just use a feature phone or light phone, but this is not an option because at least in europe you need whats app, else you are excluded from social life) Spotify Phone SMS Chrome (blocked: news, porn, online shops) App for Public Transportation Maps Notes Camera Banking I can also recommend the "Olauncher" launcher.
- cocoflunchy 2y ago
  That looks very promising, it has the website blacklist + apps whitelist. Thanks, I'll try it out!
em500 2y ago
It can be done in iOS: in Settings -> Screen Time -> Content & Privacy Restrictions you can disable almost any app, including Safari and App Store. Ask a trusted person to set a Screen Time Passcode (and keep safe backups) and you'll have pretty much zero opportunity to waste time on a phone. (You'll probably waste it on a laptop instead.)
- cocoflunchy 2y ago
  You can set a website whitelist but not a blacklist... see my other comment about needing access to some specific websites

littlecranky67 2y ago

An iPhone has this (not widely-known) feature already: Assistive Access Mode [0]. It is meant for elderly or people with disabilities. You can specify which apps to show in a simple grid, no access to any settings and dumbed down rights for the apps. Exiting the assistive access mode requires a 4-digit PIN. You can ask a friend to set the pin for you and write it down on a piece of paper store it in a safe space, or use an online time-lock service [1]. This is NOT the parental control mode where you need to setup stuff from another iCloud account. [0]: https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/assistive-access-iphone/welcome/ios https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/assistive-access-iphon... [1]: https://lockmeout.online https://lockmeout.online

em500 2y ago
You don't need Assistive Access Mode, even without parental control or another iCloud account you can disable pretty much any app (including Safari and App Store) via Screen Time -> Content & Privacy Restrictions. You do indeed need a trusted person to set a Screen Time Passcode and keep it safe.

tines 2y ago

I went down this path, it's actually very easy to uninstall the built-in web browser and the Play Store via adb, which actually got me exactly what I wanted in my dumb phone without too much technical work.

cocoflunchy 2y ago
The thing is I do want the web browser, because there are various situations where you can be very penalized by not having internet access. I want a whitelist for apps but a blacklist for websites. (One of my friends was stranded on the road after a car accident and his insurance required him to go on a specific website to get assistance...)
- tines 2y ago
  Yeah that's rough, the world isn't friendly to dumbphone users. A website blacklist is pretty easy with the parental controls on most smartphones these days. Unless you're like me and you just disable the whitelist when it slightly inconveniences you :) I guess a better option would be to use a really low-spec smartphone, like the Cat S22 Flip, so that you can browse the web but it's really painful and less habit-forming. I used the S22 for a while and did kill my smartphone habit. The only problem was that it would crash randomly, which isn't acceptable for me. No silver bullet I'm afraid.
  - cocoflunchy 2y ago
    Yes I tried it and I always end up disabling it... that's why I need something more radical. As for the flip phone I want a good camera so not an option for me.

pololeono 2y ago

I have some expirience implementing an extreme dumb phone: I did it on a samsung smartphone using "Google family link" which is the parental control feature of android. You need a second ios or android device (yes the family link app to control your "children" also exists for IOS). This device you store in an inaccessible location and you tie it to an account of which you dont remember the password (just write a long sequence of random characters on a sheet of paper and store it in the same inaccessible place) Then you set everything up: You install the desired apps on the main phone. You prevent installation of additional apps through parent phone. You blacklist all addictive websites. (You can also block all preinstalled apps, in my case I had to block the browser app from Samsung, because the family link app does not restrict this browser it can only restrict chrome) I ended up with a very watertight dumb phone. One goal was also to prevent any access to porn through the phone. This is also a process, because sometimes you find new ways to access such content despite the google family filters. Then you just blacklist those additional ways. What I still have: WhatsApp (people suggest sometimes to just use a feature phone or light phone, but this is not an option because at least in europe you need whats app, else you are excluded from social life) Spotify Phone SMS Chrome (blocked: news, porn, online shops) App for Public Transportation Maps Notes Camera Banking I can also recommend the "Olauncher" launcher.

cocoflunchy 2y ago
That looks very promising, it has the website blacklist + apps whitelist. Thanks, I'll try it out!

em500 2y ago

It can be done in iOS: in Settings -> Screen Time -> Content & Privacy Restrictions you can disable almost any app, including Safari and App Store. Ask a trusted person to set a Screen Time Passcode (and keep safe backups) and you'll have pretty much zero opportunity to waste time on a phone. (You'll probably waste it on a laptop instead.)

cocoflunchy 2y ago
You can set a website whitelist but not a blacklist... see my other comment about needing access to some specific websites