‘Substitute Phone’ To Help Smartphone Addicts Cope With Their Fiddly Habits

Smartphones have invaded practically every facet of modern life and most people can no longer function without them. However, there is a growing number of smartphone owners who can’t seem to stop fiddling with their devices. To help them cope with this habit, a new therapeutic product called the Substitute Phone was created by an Austrian designer.

In an interview with Dezeen, the designer of the Substitute Phone, Klemens Schillinger noted how smartphones have become sources of addiction for a lot of users. Every beep, every ring, every vibration, and every change in the notification light is an irresistible invitation to pick up the smartphone and start fiddling with it.

"The touchscreen smartphone has made it possible to 'escape' into social media," Schillinger told the publication. "We check emails and messages not only on public transport but also in social situations, for example when having drinks with friends.

"More and more often one feels the urge to check their phone, even if you are not expecting a specific message or call. These observations inspired the idea of making a tool that would help stop this 'checking' behaviour."

This is where his new product comes in. The Substitute Phone lineup has five designs, all of which were made specifically to replicate many of the actions that people perform on their smartphone, The Verge reports. Users can simulate scrolling, pinching, and swiping on what essentially amounts to rectangular pieces of black polyoxymethylene plastic.

Unfortunately, the therapeutic products don’t appear to be for sale anywhere right now. According to Schillinger’s website, he is still setting up shop. As such, consumers won’t be able to get their hands on the Substitute Phone anytime soon.

However, this development does serve to highlight the unhealthy role that smartphones have in modern society. What was meant to be a practical device meant to connect people has become a substitute for real lives.