Dumbify +4

So far, I enjoy this a lot. Seems like a good compromise between the Light Phone interface with the functionality of the iPhone. I don’t mind it jumping to shortcuts, but of course I would love if it didn’t (thanks apple).

Here is an improvement I would love to see that does not seem like it would be difficult to implement:

Various widget sizes. It would be nice to have the big square on top with the medium size rectangle on the bottom to have 2 widgets on one screen (iPhone 12 mini if that helps)

I do have one actual issue, the supplied background is slightly different than the dark mode widget and dock. It is just so slightly off that I can see the border of the widget and dock. I have made sure blur is off and no ‘reduce transparency mode is enabled’

I’ve been trying to dumbify my phone in fits and starts for a while now. I was in another fit and start a couple days ago. I tried one app I had read about but it was clunky to use and couldn’t find/link to simple apps that come with the iPhone. Found another and tried it and the process was convoluted and confusing. While trying to find out how to work it, I discovered Dumbify. It is heads and tails over anything else I’ve seen or tried. Simple, elegant user interface. In just two days, my phone use has already gone down.

I asked a question on the Reddit post where I discovered the app, and the developer was quick to respond, which was awesome.

A few (not all) of the iPhone native apps require going though Shortcuts (this is an Apple thing, not a Dumbify thing), and seeing that burst of color interrupt my calm minimalist phone drives me bonkers. It’s very quick and temporary, but come on, Apple!

I’ll change my review if the developer fixed any of the problems I talk about here.

This is an extremely simple app that basically acts as a stylish launcher for Apple Shortcuts.

Shortcuts, which comes included with any recent Apple device, is free & amazing (through no effort of the creator of this app.) Dumbify isn’t different from any of the other free apps that provide minimalist Launcher Widgets, and actually offers less customizability in some cases. That’s why it’s so disappointing how *little* this app does. There are two types of Widgets that Dumbify provides: one that can show links to (Shortcuts that open) apps of your choice, and an empty one that acts as a “spacer” for your home screen. There is only ONE size of Launcher Widget offered, which takes up an entire screen of an iPhone. There is ZERO customization beyond this, which is where I’m frustrated. I’d really really like to see more than one size of Launcher widget offered, or the ability to re-size the Launcher Widget on iOS 18 (running the beta in my iPad, Dumbify *does not* include this super simple functionality.)
The lack of Launcher Widget customization beyond font size/weight is super disappointing too - I’d expect a few options for alternative fonts to the default.

Dumbify is a product to make your home screen look *exactly* how those in the App Store page’s demo pictures show. If you want anything beyond that (and you likely will after a few hours) go somewhere else.