PERTH, AUSTRALIA / RankWire.AI / – Interest in retro phone accessories is growing as researchers investigate ways individuals create distance from their smartphones. Edith Cowan University researcher Dr Jess Hardley has explored shifting phone behaviors among Australian users for over ten years. Her latest research focuses on wall-mounted smartphone docks, classic-style handsets, and other devices designed to limit constant access. The study also analyzes routine measures people take to make their devices less immediately available.
Hardley documented actions such as leaving phones in separate rooms or locking them inside drawers. Some participants also switch their screens to greyscale or set restrictions on certain applications. One individual stored a phone in a work drawer after mobile gaming began interfering with concentration. While these methods differ in appearance, they share a common feature: each establishes a physical or digital obstacle between the user and the device during specific times of day.
The research also explores accessories that transform smartphones to function more like traditional landline phones. Wall-mounted docks keep a device stationary rather than in a pocket or hand. Some connected handsets feature designs reminiscent of older home phones, including coiled cords. Hardley examined these products alongside phone-free gatherings and locking pouches used at concerts. The research does not claim that these products enhance health, attention, or overall wellbeing.
Various forms of smartphone distancing are observed
Hardley’s publication discusses how mobile phones have evolved from portable communication tools to devices embedded in daily routines. Modern smartphones now combine messaging, entertainment, payments, photography, navigation, work-related functions, and internet access. Her research investigates what shifts occur when users intentionally make these devices less accessible. The study considers physical separation as one way people modify their smartphone habits, along with restrictions implemented in homes, workplaces, social events, and shared environments.
The report is titled Revisiting the ‘Snug Tether’: Smartphones in an Era of Scroll-Free Social Events, Landline Accessories, and Device Bans. Published in M/C Journal, it revisits earlier research about the close relationship users have with their mobile phones. The latest findings include phone jails, scroll-free social gatherings, retro accessories, and device restrictions. Edith Cowan University stated that the research highlights practices that break the constant proximity typically linked to smartphone use.
Public settings also see implementation of phone restrictions
Australia has introduced measures to limit smartphone use within public schools. Education ministers agreed that all public schools would ban or restrict mobile phones starting from Term 1 of 2024. Following these rules, federal officials cited a survey of nearly 1,000 principals in New South Wales, which revealed that 87% reported reduced student distraction in classrooms. The same survey found that 81% observed improvements in learning after the restrictions on phones were introduced.
Hardley’s research continues to focus on how individuals control their smartphone use as these devices maintain a central role in everyday life. It identifies physical separation, decreased accessibility, and phone-free environments as key strategies adopted. Retro handsets and wall-mounted docks are part of this broader array of methods. Edith Cowan University released its summary of these findings on Aug. 18, 2026, adding new examples to ongoing research about smartphone behavior and digital routines.