Light plots expansion with 'minimalist' phone

Light, an AT&T MVNO, is working to upgrade its customer service experience and geographic reach. The startup sells a device – the Light Phone – touted as a "premium, minimal phone designed to be used as little as possible."

Light is targeting a small but potentially growing market that has sprung up in response to the tightening grip smartphones, apps and social media have on daily life. As noted by the analysts at Counterpoint Research, Gen Z and millennials in particular are seeking "digital detoxes" because of mental health concerns.

However, Light's progress is difficult to track. The company launched its first phone, the original Light Phone, in 2018. The Light Phone II followed, offered alongside AT&T's connections. Since then, the company has introduced new "tools" for its phones – as well as a new MVNO management platform – but company officials declined to discuss sales figures or user numbers.

"We have seen consistent growth in sales in regards to Light Phone II which began shipping in 2019, despite pandemic related manufacturing hurdles," Light's co-founder Joe Hollier wrote in response to questions from Light Reading. 

A new Gigs partnership

Light announced last month that it would switch its connection management services onto Gigs' MVNO platform. Gigs has signed deals with several new MVNOs recently, including one with a financial services company and another with a fiber and fixed wireless provider.

Related:The quiet comeback of the dumbphone

"In partnering with Gigs, we are upgrading our service offering to make it even easier to activate a SIM from the dashboard website in even less steps," Hollier explained. "Users have more control over self-service features, the ability to see remaining data for the month, and the ability to top-off more data for any given month. We are also now offering a new plan for midtier 5GB data plan."

He added: "Our automated messaging capabilities with users is also greatly improved. From an administrative perspective, working with Gigs has been a big upgrade and that is saving our customer service teams lots of time."

With Gigs, Light now offers a trio of pricing options starting at $30 per month that includes 1GB of data.

"We see a lot of potential in the future to further expand and improve our existing service offering as well as the potential to grow to other markets around the globe where we don't currently offer a customer service plan for the Light Phone II, but have many users," Hollier wrote. The company offers an unlocked version of its gadget for networks besides AT&T's, including international networks.

Related:Omnipoint to mix AT&T MVNO with fiber and FWA services

Targeting intentional users

The original Light Phone, introduced around six years ago, connected to 2G networks, offered a grayscale screen and only offered voice calling services. Light Phone II works on 4G networks and offers some of the data services common in high-end iOS and Android smartphones, but it retains the grayscale screen.

Instead of supporting third-party apps like Instagram and YouTube, Light develops its own "tools" for its phones like an alarm, a calculator, maps and directions, and a simple music player. The company intends to continue to add tools to its phones, including possibly a ride-sharing app, according to Hollier.

"Whether you need a break from your smartphone for the weekend or you're ready to ditch it for good, the Light Phone changes how you experience your time," according to the company.

Hollier added: "Any tool we create for the Light Phone is built around intentionality."

In that regard, Light is paralleling the niche market for feature phones. As noted by Counterpoint Research, second- and third-tier smartphone makers are developing phones bereft of smartphone apps for customers who may have tired of the constant notifications, social media feeds and instant messages of most modern-day smartphones.