Dumb Phone - Calmly

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  A minimal home screen for a calmer you.

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  Less scrolling. More living.

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  Remove the clutter. Reclaim your focus.

Inspiration

Smartphones have become more distracting than helpful. I found ourselves unlocking our phones countless times a day, only to get pulled into social media, notifications, and endless scrolling. I wanted to create a simpler experience that encourages intentional phone use without asking people to give up the apps they rely on.

What it does

Dumb Phone – Calmly transforms your iPhone into a clean, minimalist experience. It replaces cluttered Home Screens with elegant launcher widgets that provide quick access to your essential apps while removing visual noise. The result is a calmer, more focused digital environment that helps reduce distractions and screen time.

How I built it

I built Dumb Phone – Calmly entirely in SwiftUI, using Apple’s WidgetKit, App Intents, and native iOS technologies. The app focuses on performance, privacy, and simplicity. Every widget is generated on-device, allowing users to create beautiful black-and-white launcher widgets that feel like a natural part of iOS.

Challenges I ran into

The biggest challenge was designing an experience that feels minimal without sacrificing usability. I spent a lot of time refining layouts, typography, spacing, and widget behavior to make everything look clean while remaining easy to customize. Working within WidgetKit’s limitations also required creative solutions to deliver a smooth user experience.

Accomplishments that we’re proud of

• Built a beautiful minimalist launcher experience that feels native to iOS.
• Made customization simple enough for anyone to use.
• Designed an interface focused on reducing distractions instead of adding more features.
• Created a fast, lightweight app that respects user privacy by keeping everything on-device.

What I learned

This project reinforced that the best products aren’t always the ones with the most features. Thoughtful design, restraint, and attention to detail can have a bigger impact than complexity. We also gained a deeper understanding of WidgetKit and designing experiences that promote healthier digital habits.

What’s next for Dumb Phone – Calmly

I'm continuing to make Calmly even more personal with additional widget styles, themes, customization options, and focus-oriented features. My vision is to help people build a healthier relationship with their phones by making calm, intentional technology accessible to everyone.

Built With

• ios
• iphone-sdk
• revenuecat
• swiftui
• widgetkit
• xcode