CAT S22

7owners with an opinion

67%of verdicts positive

4/2positive/negative since 2024

0.08 yrslongest happy owner

0happy after 3+ years

Praised for ease of use and portability; criticized for display and reliability.

What owners wrote

Likes itOwned 0.08 years

I've been using the Cat S22 as my main device for the past month or so and have found it to be pretty much exactly what I was looking for. It's a flip phone that runs android, so can still use whatsapp, signal, email, maps, use rideshare apps, scan qr codes, and play music, but is limited enough that I'm not scrolling on it during free interstitial moments. The screen is too small to really be useful for reading the internet or using something like instagram, but I'm not totally cut off from friends and family. I've used other dumbphones in the past, notably the Punkt MP01 and the Light Phone II and the Cat feels like one I could use indefinitely and not have to have another device handy. The only exception I would note is that I recently got back from traveling to a foreign country and a city I'd never been and I think I would have rather had a smart phone there.

Doesn’t like it

I've switched to a CAT S22 Android builder's flip phone, and my usage has dropped significantly. The screen is so small and fiddly that it makes me feel sick using it for extended periods - exactly what you want from an adictive substance like a smart phone. Having to physically open it to use it, and then waiting 5 seconds before it lights up, creates a psychic barrier to just 'quickly checking for updates'. The camera is like an early 2000s cheap digicam - just about good enough for documenting things but it hardly beckons you to want to photograph your life constantly for social media. It's a PITA to use and that's why it's perfect for everyday use.

Likes it

Its limited for sure, but that may not be a problem for everyone. I've been using a Cat S22 flip phone without any real issue. It has a Snapdragon 215 and 2GB of RAM. Don't get me wrong, the S22 is limited for sure and that's part of what I use it for (I need a rugged device to carry around our land, I don't need a glass slab). Android is noticeably slower than a more recent Pixel device but its totally usable.

Doesn’t like it

Yeah that's rough, the world isn't friendly to dumbphone users. A website blacklist is pretty easy with the parental controls on most smartphones these days. Unless you're like me and you just disable the whitelist when it slightly inconveniences you :) I guess a better option would be to use a really low-spec smartphone, like the Cat S22 Flip, so that you can browse the web but it's really painful and less habit-forming. I used the S22 for a while and did kill my smartphone habit. The only problem was that it would crash randomly, which isn't acceptable for me. No silver bullet I'm afraid.

Likes it

>Bullitt, the licensed manufacturers of the CAT S-22 I purchased, folded the day before my phone arrived. Despite the news, I tried the hardware for about a week. It let me call, text and access the messenger functions of a couple of apps I used to stay in touch with friends and family. My total web use dropped to just an hour a day. I was better able to concentrate on my surroundings, books and music. But I missed my library app. People may say they want dumbphones. But their actual choices reveal something different, which is why dumbphone manufacturers don't make money.

Neutral

I recently came to a fork in the road of being sick and tired of subconsciously picking up my iPhone for no good reason. I turned my colors to black and white. It has made a world of difference. I find it detestable in the best way. I also bought a CAT S22 flip phone and after I figure out how to remove the TMobile bloatware I’ll swap SIMs and try that. People look at me weird but feeling addicted is my answer for tolerating these changes. FYI S22 has Waze which is a requirement for me or some alternative.

Likes it

I switched to a CAT-S22 flip phone and haven't looked back. It's android so it's good enough for calls, WhatsApp, maps, etc. But it's impossible to get sucked into "scrolling" on it. For everything else I have a tablet. It basically does all the things but unlike a phone, I have to be a little bit more intentional when I reach for it since it takes both hands, which is great way to prevent doom scrolling. I think the next step might be to get a tablet that can work as a phone as my "base" and get a smartwatch for everything else. I think self-control can only take you so far. Yeah you can use it to break a phone addiction, but it doesn't feel good. The way you feel when you don't have the option is way different.