Some young adults disconnecting with 'dumbphones'

Some cellphone users choose to be dialed out of the world of iPhones, BlackBerrys and Androids. In an increasingly connected and accessible culture, these stalwarts have chosen hand-held devices that offer only the basics, despite the social isolation and limitations that may come with them.

Some young adults who could afford the costly Web-browsing phones and the monthly fees associated with them are sticking with more basic devices. At Sprint, these gadgets are called "feature phones," and fewer are offered now than ever before, said director of product development Ryan Sullivan. Still, the service provider continues to roll out new devices to meet the demand, he said. In many cases, feature phone users are customers who don't see smartphones as useful or necessary, or who are looking to save some cash, Sullivan said. Without a contract, smartphones can cost $650 or more, compared with about $150 for many basic phones in the Sprint line, he said. Still, it's not unheard of to have a customer who sticks with a more rudimentary device because they "get over-wired," Sullivan said.