Smartphones have become ubiquitous mobile companions in recent years. And in many ways, that’s probably a good thing: you can get in touch with friends, family, or emergency services from almost anywhere. And you can use the same device to make calls, keep up with the news, and pay at a checkout, to name a few.

But there has also been some resistance from people who think that phones to much of our time and attention and long for a return to the days of “dumphones”, i.e. mobile phones that are mainly used for phone calls and text messages and not much more. The makers of the LoFone have something light different in your head. Think of it as a less smart Phone.

Here’s the idea: The upcoming phone will have a color E Ink display and a custom operating system with a few built-in apps for things like phone calls, text messages, mobile payments, navigation, music and podcasts, but not much else.

You can use the phone to take photos using the rear cameras, but there’s no front-facing camera for selfies. And the original idea was to include a simple photo feature that wouldn’t even show an image preview on the screen before you take a picture – but after taking a lot of criticism for the idea on Reddit, the LoFone team responded that maybe the phone could support camera preview after all.

The phone also features a headphone jack, a removable battery, and a user-replaceable polycarbonate case. At launch, the phone is expected to ship with a clear case, but if there is enough demand, the company could produce other colors as well.

Some things that the phone not have? Social media apps, a web browser, video apps, or even support for installing third-party apps. Instead, the team is working on adding support for popular messaging and streaming audio apps using publicly available APIs.

The phone’s E Ink Kaleido 3 electronic paper display has several advantages, including low power consumption and the ability to view the screen only in ambient light – it can actually look better in direct sunlight than indoors.

Although E Ink is not often used for smartphones or tablets due to the limited color palette and low refresh rate, the LoFone team says these are actually advantages when making a distraction-free smartphone. The company also designed the operating system with few animations or other features that would make the low refresh rate obvious.

LoFone has not yet announced how much the phone will cost or when it will be available to buy. However, the company’s comments on Reddit mention a “campaign,” suggesting that the LoFone could Launch through an upcoming crowdfunding campaign.

The phone’s makers are based in the UK and say they have partnered with a Chinese manufacturer with experience in making phones for the global market. The phone’s hardware is designed to support cellular networks around the world, but the team will first focus on becoming certified as a cellular provider for the US and European Union.