Quick summary
Meadow is a small smartphone designed to provide the essentials without the distraction of a conventional smartphone.
It runs Android and supports apps including Maps, Spotify, Apple Music, Uber and Strava, but deliberately omits social media, web browsing and feeds.
I don’t think most people actually want a less capable phone. They want a phone that stops demanding their attention every five minutes. Just me?
That’s the idea behind Meadow, a small three-inch Android device designed to let you leave your main smartphone at home without completely cutting you off from the things you need. It can handle maps, music, calls, messages, Uber and even Strava, but there’s no social media, web browsing or endless feeds.
It’s not really trying to be a dumbphone, but rather a phone you don’t particularly need to use.
(Image credit: Meadow)
Small phone, useful apps
The Meadow is designed to be a companion to your existing phone rather than a replacement for it. It runs Android, it gives access to apps including Google Maps, Spotify, Apple Music, Uber and Strava, in addition to native tools for calling, texting, the camera, notes, voice memos, location sharing and ticket scanning.
The idea is that you can still go out for the night, get an Uber home, find your way, listen to music or show someone where you are without having a giant portal to the Internet in your pocket.
It’s also super small. The square device has a three-inch display and is deliberately less comfortable to use than a conventional smartphone. That sounds like a mistake, but in this case it’s the point. Meadow doesn’t want to become the thing you spend your evening watching.
There are some clever touches, such as the camera not having a front-facing lens, instead using a small mirror next to the rear camera to help with selfies. Photos and videos can be captured while you’re out and about, but you’ll need to use the Meadow app on your main phone to view them later.
Your smartphone stays at home
There is one catch though. Meadow gets its own phone number and data plan, so it’s not simply an extension of your existing cell phone. You need a separate subscription, and people can’t call or text your normal number directly.
It’s an interesting compromise though. Instead of fighting the temptation to open Instagram, check the news, or disappear down a YouTube rabbit hole on your regular phone, Meadow simply doesn’t give you those options.
And for anyone who doesn’t really like smartphones, but doesn’t like what they do to their attention, this could be ideal.