Flip Phones vs. iPhones
Once upon a time, before smartphones took over our lives, flip phones with keypads ruled the world. Almost everyone had a flip phone in the 90s and 2000s until iPhones (and other smartphones) took over the industry. But is there something those old technological relics gave us that we're missing now? Let’s take a look at 10 ways flip phones were actually better than their successors and 10 ways they ultimately fell short.
1. Built Like A Tank
Drop a flip phone on concrete? No problem. Spill coffee on it? Just wipe it off. These phones could handle almost anything, making them perfect for clumsy hands. iPhones, on the other hand, practically demand a case to survive the tiniest fall.
2. Battery That Lasted For Days
Remember when you could go a whole week without charging your phone? Flip phones had efficient batteries that lasted forever compared to the daily (or even twice-daily) charging routine of iPhones. No need for power banks, desperate outlet searches, or “low battery” anxiety.
3. The Joy Of The Flip Hang-Up
Nothing beats the satisfaction of ending a call by snapping a flip phone shut. Whether you were furious or just done with a conversation, it was the ultimate power move. Tapping a red button on a touchscreen? That just doesn’t have the same drama.
4. Free From Endless Notifications
Flip phones weren’t designed to keep you glued to a screen. People were free from the dopamine-fueled doom-scrolling that comes with pop-ups and notifications. You could actually be present in the moment instead of falling into the black hole of endless notifications and mindless swiping.
5. More Secure And Private
With no microphones listening in, no apps tracking your every move, and minimal internet possibilities, the old-school flip phones gave no headaches. They were practically free from data leaks, constant promotions, and risks of malware. True privacy and peace of mind were just a flip away.
6. Easy And Cheap Repairs
A flip phone has always been affordable, unlike iPhones. Even if it broke, you could replace it for cheap because it didn’t have any fragile glass backs, overpriced repair fees, or heart-stopping moments when you accidentally drop it face down.
7. Small, Compact, And Pocket-Friendly
Flip phones fit easily into pockets without sticking out or requiring a massive case. You didn’t need two hands to use them, and they never felt like carrying a mini-tablet. Compared to today’s massive iPhones, the old (and the new) flip phones are light, practical, and convenient.
8. Crystal Clear Call Quality
Flip phones were actually built for talking, and their call quality reflected that. No dropped calls, no muffled voices, and no awkward “Can you hear me now?” moments. With fewer apps hogging bandwidth, networks were less congested, making conversations smoother and clearer.
9. No Pressure To Constantly Upgrade
A flip phone could last for years without feeling outdated. You wouldn’t get yearly announcements convincing you that your current model is suddenly obsolete and you’re missing out on “essential” new features. Just a reliable phone that did its job without any FOMO marketing tactics.
10. Fewer Hidden Fees And Extra Costs
Flip phones didn’t come with hidden costs like those pricey app subscriptions, in-app purchases, or constant prompts to buy more storage. What you paid upfront was usually all you needed, which was a big relief back then. However, limited functionality meant extra charges for ringtones, wallpapers, and even per-text messaging fees.
Kārlis Dambrāns from Latvia on Wikimedia
1. Slow Internet
Many later flip phones technically had internet, but it was slow, clunky, and borderline useless. Browsing meant dealing with pixelated pages and waiting minutes for basic information to load. iPhones, on the other hand, give us instant access to everything with a single tap.
2. No Online Banking
Flip phones lacked mobile banking apps. This meant whenever you needed to pay a bill, send money, or even check your account, you had to visit an ATM, call customer service, or use whatever online banking options were available at the time. iPhones revolutionized banking by putting financial control at our fingertips.
3. Cameras Were Terrible
Cameras were like a potato with a lens in the old flip phones. Blurry, low-resolution, and barely usable in low light. Today’s iPhones have cameras that could even rival professional gear. They make it possible to capture high-quality photos and videos right from your pocket.
4. Buttons Were A Pain For Some
Using physical buttons for everything was slow and tedious. Scrolling through contacts, typing texts, or going through menus took forever. With an iPhone’s touchscreen, everything became faster, smoother, and more intuitive, making old-school button navigation feel like a chore.
5. Didn’t Make Traveling Easier
Getting lost with a flip phone meant calling someone for directions or carrying a physical map. They didn’t have any real-time navigation, traffic updates, and “rerouting” when you make a wrong turn. iPhones make travel easier with built-in GPS and map apps.
6. Lacked Social Media (Good Or Bad, You Decide)
While the lack of social media was a blessing for focus, it was also a major downside for staying connected. If you wanted to catch up with people, you had no option but to call or text them or find them on Facebook on your PC. Also, it was hard to find and share memes.
7. Limited Storage (Forget Carrying Your Music Library)
While some late-era flip phones supported microSD cards, their internal storage was often measured in megabytes, not gigabytes. This meant that, without an extra memory card, you were severely limited in storing music, videos, or large files. Meanwhile, iPhones launched with built-in gigabytes of storage, later integrated cloud options, and became true portable media hubs.
8. No Entertainment Apps
With flip phones, watching videos was out of the question. If you wanted entertainment, you had to settle for a built-in pixelated game. iPhones started bringing an entire world of entertainment to our fingertips with YouTube, Spotify, gaming, OTT, and more.
9. Inefficient Keyboard
Yes, T9 texting was an art, but it wasn’t exactly fast. Typing long messages took patience, and making a typo meant going back through a clunky process. iPhones make texting effortless with full keyboards, voice-to-text, and predictive suggestions.
10. Boring Without Customizations
Beyond changing the wallpaper, flip phones remained the same without any new features, software updates, and customization. iPhones constantly evolve with new updates, customization options, and app improvements, keeping things fresh and functional.
