PERTH, AUSTRALIA / RankWire.AI / – Retro-themed accessories for phones are gaining renewed interest as researchers explore ways people distance themselves from their smartphones. Edith Cowan University researcher Dr Jess Hardley has been investigating evolving phone habits among Australian users for over ten years. Her most recent research focuses on wall-mounted smartphone docks, traditional-style handsets, and other tools that help reduce constant device access. The study also looks into everyday strategies individuals employ to make their devices less immediately accessible.
Hardley observed behaviors such as leaving phones in separate rooms, locking them away in drawers, switching screens to greyscale, or setting restrictions on certain applications. For instance, one participant kept a phone inside a work drawer after mobile gaming started to interfere with concentration. While these actions differ in their approach, they share a common feature: each establishes a physical or digital barrier that limits the user’s interaction with the device during specific times of the day.
The research also explores accessories designed to make smartphones operate more like traditional landline phones. Wall-mounted docks can keep a device stationary in a single location rather than in a pocket or hand. Certain connected handsets adopt designs reminiscent of vintage home telephones, including coiled cords. Hardley examined these products alongside the use of phone-free gatherings and locking pouches used at concerts. The research does not claim that such accessories enhance health, attention, or overall wellbeing.
Different Approaches to Smartphone Distance
Hardley’s publication analyzes how mobile phones have transformed from portable communication tools into devices integral to daily life. Modern smartphones combine messaging, entertainment, payments, photography, navigation, work-related functions, and internet connectivity. Her research emphasizes the impact of intentional measures that make these devices less easily reachable. Physical separation is identified as one approach among others that users utilize to modify their engagement with smartphones. The study also considers restrictions implemented in homes, workplaces, public events, and shared spaces.
Titled Revisiting the ‘Snug Tether’: Smartphones in an Era of Scroll-Free Social Events, Landline Accessories, and Device Bans, the paper was published in M/C Journal. It revisits earlier investigations into the close relationship between users and their phones, expanding on concepts like phone jails, social events without scrolling, retro accessories, and various device restrictions. Edith Cowan University noted that this research highlights practices that break the constant proximity often linked to smartphone usage.
Public settings also see increased phone restrictions
In Australia, restrictions on smartphone use have extended into public educational institutions. Education ministers agreed that from Term 1 of 2024, all public schools would impose bans or limitations on mobile phone usage. After implementing these rules, federal education authorities referenced a survey conducted in New South Wales involving nearly 1,000 principals. The government reported that 87% of respondents observed fewer distractions among students in classrooms, and 81% noted enhanced learning outcomes following the restrictions.
Hardley’s research continues to center on the ways individuals manage their smartphones, especially as these devices remain central to daily routines. It highlights methods such as physical separation, decreased accessibility, and the use of phone-free environments. Retro handsets and wall-mounted docks are part of this wider array of strategies. The summary of these findings was published by Edith Cowan University on Aug. 18, 2026, adding new insights to ongoing research on digital habits and smartphone use.