The Light Phone couldn't text, connect to Twitter, take photos, or send emails.
Hollier and Tang designed the phone as something of a security blanket for smartphone users — you could leave your smartphone at home and "go light" using only the Light Phone. People could still reach you, but you'd be forced to look up from your phone and experience the world around you.
The Light Phone wasn't just technical — it had a philosophical message. Hollier and Tang wanted to encourage users to consider the importance of disconnecting from the digital world.
"We are becoming scared of boredom, scared of solitude," Light's founders wrote in a blog post about how the company got its start.