A GSMArena poll has shown that classic feature phones with buttons are far from being a thing of the past. Some people continue to use them daily, while even more are considering a return to such devices.

What the poll respondents said

28.5% of respondents said they do not use feature phones at all. At the same time, 24.2% would like to return to them, and 14.7% used such devices in the past but later gave them up.

The remaining figures were unexpectedly high. 12.7% of respondents use a feature phone every day, 12.1% keep one as a second handset, and 7.9% pull one out from time to time.

What they are used for today

The most common reason was having a second phone for calls (25.1%). This was followed by ease of use (16.8%) and a desire for greater privacy (15%).

Other motives were distributed as follows:

  • digital detox — 12.1%
  • long battery life — 8.1%
  • design — 4.6%
  • low price — 4%

Another 14.2% cited other reasons.

It turns out that in 2026, a button phone is most often chosen not out of nostalgia but for practical reasons: fewer distractions, longer battery life, simpler calling, and less of a digital footprint.

In brief

According to the GSMArena poll, a notable proportion of people either already use feature phones or would like to return to them. Most often, such devices are used as a second handset for calls, for simplicity, and for privacy. Digital detox and long battery life are also popular motivations.