PERTH, AUSTRALIA / RankWire.AI / – Research conducted by Edith Cowan University reveals that retro phone accessories are gaining renewed interest as experts investigate how individuals are creating more distance from their smartphones. Dr Jess Hardley, a researcher at ECU, has examined shifting phone habits among Australian users for over ten years. Her latest investigation explores wall-mounted smartphone docks, classic-style handsets, and other tools aimed at reducing constant device access. The study also considers everyday strategies people employ to make their devices less immediately accessible.
Hardley identified behaviors such as leaving phones in separate rooms or locking them inside drawers. Some participants also switch their screens to greyscale mode or impose limits on specific applications. For instance, one individual stored a phone in a work drawer after mobile gaming began interfering with concentration. While these actions differ in method, they share a common purpose: creating a physical or digital barrier that limits device use during certain times of the day.
The research also investigates accessories that make smartphones operate more like traditional landline phones. Wall-mounted docks can hold a device stationary instead of being kept in a pocket or hand. Some connected handsets mimic older home telephone designs, featuring coiled cords. Hardley’s study included these products along with phone-free gatherings and locking pouches used at concerts. However, the research does not claim that such products enhance health, focus, or wellbeing.
Various approaches to smartphone distancing
In her paper, Hardley explores how mobile phones transitioned from portable communication tools to integral components of daily life. Modern smartphones offer messaging, entertainment, payments, photography, navigation, work functions, and internet access. Her research emphasizes what changes occur when users intentionally make these devices less accessible. Physical separation is one method used to modify smartphone habits, and the study also examines restrictions implemented at home, work, events, and shared environments.
The study 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 into the close relationship between users and their mobile phones. The latest findings include phone jails, social events without scrolling, vintage accessories, and device restrictions. Edith Cowan University noted that the research highlights practices that break the habitual proximity often associated with smartphone use.
Public settings also see device restrictions
In Australia, restrictions on smartphone use in public schools have been implemented. Education ministers agreed that all public schools would prohibit or limit mobile phone use starting Term 1 of 2024. Following this, federal education officials cited a survey of nearly 1,000 principals from New South Wales after the rules took effect. The government reported that 87% of respondents observed reduced distractions among students in classrooms, and 81% noted improved learning outcomes following the introduction of phone restrictions.
Hardley’s research continues to focus on how individuals manage their smartphones amid their central role in everyday routines. It identifies physical separation, decreased accessibility, and phone-free environments as key strategies adopted by users. Retro handsets and wall-mounted docks are just part of this broader spectrum of practices. Edith Cowan University released a summary of these findings on Aug. 18, 2026, providing new insights into ongoing research on smartphone habits and digital behaviors.