Creating Your Own Basic Smartphone Experience: A DIY Project Using Open-Source Tools

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I carried around a Light Phone 2 for years, but as an LTE-only phone, it didn’t get strong reception where I lived. Still, I’ve kept an eye on the minimalist phone scene, and after seeing yet another phone with a paired-down launcher hit the web, it occurred to me that I could just make my own using a phone I already have lying around.

Start With LineageOS

LineageOS is a custom ROM that you can install to replace an Android phone’s default operating system. It’s an open-source project with volunteers all over the world collaborating to make sure a supported version of Android remains available for devices even after manufacturers discontinue official support.

There are alternative ROMs like CalyxOS and GrapheneOS , but LineageOS supports the broadest number of phones . This makes it a viable option for the phone I have lying around, a Moto Edge+ 2023 .

The Moto Edge+ 2023, known as the Moto Edge 40 Pro outside the US, was Motorola’s flagship phone in 2023. It came with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, making it one of the most powerful phones with support from a custom ROM. Something to keep in mind if you’re shopping for a new phone to try this on.

LineageOS consists of only the open-source bits of Android. In layperson’s terms, that means your device will feel like a Pixel, but you don’t get any of the Google apps unless you take extra steps to install them. On the positive side, you do get enough pre-installed apps to fully replicate the functionality of a dumbphone. You have apps for placing calls, sending texts, managing contacts, taking and viewing photos, setting alarms and timers, playing music, and browsing the web.

Frankly, if you want, you could stop right here. Your phone is already more capable than most dumbphones, and you get to keep the large screen and superior camera you may like about your existing smartphone. However, you may want to disable the browser to keep yourself from mindlessly scrolling (or, if you find yourself simply re-enabling the browser, remove it entirely using ADB ).

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Avoid Temptation — Don’t Install the Play Store

After installing LineageOS, you have the option to install a package known as GApps. This supplies your phone with Google Play Services and the Play Store. It’s a necessary component to make your phone feel like a traditional Android phone you get from the store.

To keep your phone a minimalist phone, avoid this step. The Play Store is an endless well of distraction. Leaving the Play Store off means you don’t have to resist thousands of games, streaming platforms, or dedicated social media apps. Instead of having to set limits on which apps you use , they simply aren’t available, even though you’re still running Android.

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Download F-Droid for a Few Apps

While LineageOS supplies the essentials for a functioning phone, there is some functionality I like that doesn’t come baked in. There isn’t a podcast client, for example. And while you can make the case that a minimalist phone doesn’t need podcasts, this is a feature I had on my Light Phone 2 when I wanted, and I think it’s nice to have.

That is where F-Droid comes in. F-Droid is a source of exclusively free and open-source apps . That makes it a natural fit for a custom ROM like LineageOS, though you can install F-Droid on any Android phone alongside the Play Store.

F-Droid doesn’t have nearly as many apps as the Play Store. The apps are also clearly marked whenever they contain anything even remotely sketchy, like tracking or dependence on a specific website since there is an emphasis on preserving your privacy. All of this means that the apps in F-Droid primarily provide utility and are not designed around maximizing your attention to turn a profit. It’s a good source of genuine tools.

I turn to F-Droid for Auxio , an alternative I prefer over the default Music app in LineageOS. There’s AntennaPod for podcasts and Voice for audiobooks. Breezy is an incredibly stylish weather app. There’s also the entire Fossify suite of apps that provide everything you need for a functional phone, such as a Dialer, Messages, Contacts, Gallery, Voice recorder, and so on. Going all in on Fossify apps is not a bad way to have a consistent experience that’s more fleshed out than what the default LineageOS apps provide.

Top It Off With a Minimalist Launcher

The launcher that LineageOS comes with is functional, but I’m not a fan. I’m not particularly keen on Android’s default launcher in general. An app drawer begs to be filled with apps, as do empty home screen pages. That’s the opposite of what I want to do.

There are a few alternate launchers in F-Droid. Olauncher is one that can provide a text-only experience not unlike that of the Light Phone and other minimalist phones. I came across a different option called Kvaesitso . It’s a search-based launcher that simultaneously emphasizes widgets in a way I find striking.

The home screen in Kvaesitso looks not unlike a lock screen. There’s a clock at the bottom and a search bar on top. Media controls appear under the clock, but that’s it. You have the option to add a dock underneath the clock, but it’s not there by default, and I’ve left it that way.

When you swipe up from the home screen, you see your widgets arranged in a column. I’ve placed widgets for music, weather, podcasts, and my calendar. Tapping on any of these widgets opens the full app. This means most of what I want to use the phone for, aside from placing calls, is accessible in one place.

I really like this way of presenting functions, and it reduces how much I interact with my phone. I don’t find myself opening an app drawer to do something, get distracted by a screen filled with gorgeous app icons, or swipe back and forth a few times only to click on an app unrelated to what I wanted to do in the first place.

Swiping down from the home screen brings up an app drawer and opens your keyboard. You can tap icons in the app drawer if you want, but you’re encouraged to search. As you type, app names appear, but so do contact names and file names. You can have the launcher search the web or a specific app, like Wikipedia. Again, this approach makes it easier to do what I want and reduces the likelihood that I get distracted.

With Kvaesitso, my minimalist phone doesn’t feel like a paired-down broken smartphone or a relic from the past. It feels like a thoughtfully designed tool that does quite a few tasks really well.

I’ve been very pleased with the results of my experiment. I now have a minimalist phone with the features I value without having to give up top-notch hardware, and I can expect many years of software support. If, like me, you find yourself tempted by pricey minimalist phones, you may be better off trying your hands at making one yourself.

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Creating Your Own Basic Smartphone Experience: A DIY Project Using Open-Source Tools