It's more complicated than buying a dedicated simplified smartphone, but nobody really makes those. The SimpliFone's custom environment means that most useful functions are easy to find, impossible to delete by mistake, and there are enough accessibility tweaks to make it worth the purchase. Not for you, perhaps, but certainly for users who a) can't or b) shouldn't be operating a whole smartphone at this point in time.
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Software
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Ease of use
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Setup
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Value
It’s a fact of life that some things get harder as you get older. One of those is the use of technology, something that local outfit SimpliFone has set out to address. Or at least mitigate. Unlike Alcatel’s (and others’) versions of accessible phones, SimpliFone takes a standard Android smartphone and adds a custom overlay that should, in theory, be simpler for folks who struggle with the regular Android OS.
Performance doesn’t matter
We were sent a pre-set-up Samsung Galaxy A06 with the company’s software for this review. We’re not going to bother with the hardware spec for this one (you can check them here). Why? Because they don’t matter. Device performance isn’t a consideration when you’ve limited functions (and access to the internal workings) of any smartphone.
SimpliFone’s selection is decent, though. The Galaxy A06 offers a fair screen, decent cameras (for a budget phone), and a 5,000mAh battery. There’s enough bulk to make the device easy to hold and, assuming you don’t stash the phone in a case, the lightweight frame has a textured back that also makes it grippable. If you happen to need a case, one is also included.
In short, it’s an ideal option for the tech-impaired. Or even for kids who shouldn’t have wholly unfettered access to the internet.
Software does
The custom OS isn’t really an operating system at all. It’s more like a sandbox, where most of the software that can cause issues has been shunted aside. Front and centre is an emergency contact option that’ll auto-dial a contact with a single button press. Other entries will be familiar. Android’s Phone, Contacts, Messages, and Gallery make SimpliFone’s cut. WhatsApp, Facebook, YouTube, and Spotify are present too. Our review unit also had Pick ‘n Pay’s ASAP app and a small Sudoku icon to play with as well.
Which, if we’re all being honest, is all most folks need from their smartphones. It covers pictures, communication, entertainment, and whatever Facebook is these days. Since the icons can’t be shuffled or deleted, you’ll never need to have another conversation about how to find a missing app with grandad again. Unless he wants something custom-installed. That doesn’t appear to be an option here.
There’s some further customisation deeper in the menu systems. The camera and gallery apps work the same way they do on Android. Contacts has been reworked with a larger dialler and one-touch dialling for the similarly-large contact names. Things get a little tricky with the third-party apps, which still use the Android stock keyboard as an interface. That’s less ideal for slower fingers, but SimpliFone probably isn’t up to rewriting Meta and friends’ apps.
Be aware
There is one slight sticking point. The SimpliFone Ultra doesn’t come completely configured. It’s up to a technologically savvy person to complete the conversion from Samsung Galaxy A06 to the phone that we’ve tested. The process isn’t something you can drop on anyone who lacks tech experience either, but at least you’ll know that it’s likely the last bit of setup needed for a while.
SimpliFone told us that they’ve got a new setup process coming soon. We’ll explore the whole thing in further detail once that arrives. For now, expect to have to recruit whichever person is responsible for family tech support for one last job before retirement.
SimpliFone Ultra verdict
The SimpliFone Ultra costs R3,000. It’d be overpriced if all you were buying was just the phone. But since you’re paying for an elder-proof device (or one that limits younger users heavily), it’s worth the cash to the folks who need this. The software overlay could use some refinement, and there are obstacles to ease-of-use that are impossible to overcome, sure. But if you want to give Granny a smartphone that’ll let her dial the grandkids on the weekend with as few button presses as possible, SimpliFone’s solution will supply it. If not, the company has a selection of similar products to choose from.
