Although smartphones rule the world these days, we still believe that flip phones are way more suitable for seniors. And most seniors themselves agree and want to stay clear of smartphones. As such, we decided to prepare this extended article on flip phones for Verizon, which will cover all detail from ‘Why do you need a Verizon cell phone for seniors’ to the extensive list of 10 Verizon Flip Phones, for which we’ve handpicked the best choice for seniors.
Flip phones are not only preferred by seniors, actually, everyone who wants maximum simplicity, but compactness, and durability is also often considering a flip phone over a smartphone. With flip phones things are kept super simple; answering a call by simply opening the two halves of the phone open and ending it by closing them together. Does it get any simpler than that?
Moreover, there are flip phones that include some advanced features and options for those who need more functionality, however, most seniors stick to very basic stuff – calls, maybe some texting, and occasional photo snap.
The evolution of flip phones is something you must consider. Originally flip phones weren’t focused on seniors but on the general public, however, in the last five years or so, flip phones focus on seniors and thus offer maximum simplicity.
Are you ready to dig in?
Types of Flip Phones That Work With Verizon
Verizon is a CDMA-based wireless provider. Essentially, there are two types of mobile networks, CDMA and GSM. Until the invention of the 4G LTE network, the phones designed to operate on CDMA weren’t able to operate on GSM and vice versa. So, all phones that don’t support 4G LTE must be based on CDMA technology to work on the Verizon network.
However, all newer phones (produced after 2015) are LTE operable and as such operable on both CDMA and GSM. And thanks to Verizon’s decision noted in the previous section, Verizon lets new clients use only 4G LTE operable devices.
To Sum Things Up:
- All CDMA based phones work on Verizon.
- All unlocked GSM 4G phones also work on Verizon.
- Verizon allows existing customers that joined their network before 2018 to use 3G based flip phones.
- New Verizon customers are limited to 4G LTE based flip phones.
10 Best 4G LTE & 3G Verizon Flip Phones For Seniors in 2024
Like we mentioned above, there are older flip phones (limited to 3G) and newer ones that operate on 4G LTE. Since Verizon limited new clients to 4G-operable flip phones, however, made 3G phones still available to an existing client, we decide to present you with five flip phones of each of those two types.
5 Best 4G LTE Verizon Flip Phones For Seniors
In this section, we will present you with 5 flip phone models that operate on the 4G LTE network and are us such the ones that new Verizon customers are also able to use. Compared to 3G limited flip phones, these offer compatibility with both CDMA and GSM networks, which is highly practical if you are changing carriers that operate on different systems and want to use the same phone. Moreover, these flip phones allow for a lot faster web browsing in case that this feature might be of a customer’s interest.
1. Kyocera DuraXV LTE
Since we believe that ruggedness plays an extremely important role, we decided to start this section with the most durable flip phone, the Kyocera DuraXV LTE. This flip phone is made to sustain any drops, water, and dust encounters, and is as durable as they come. It can survive up to 30 minutes in 6.5 feet deep water. It comes with a practical push-to-talk button, has large keys, and extra-loud speakers. Due to its super ruggedness, it is noticeably heavier than, weighing 6.2 ounces. It measures 4.21 x 2.22 x 0.99 inches. If you need your phone to survive tough conditions, then this is without a doubt the phone for you.
2. Alcatel QUICKFLIP
The Alcatel QUICKFLIP is another modern 4G operable flip phone. It offers a smooth design with a square outer screen and a large 2.8” inner display. The set has very large and easily operable buttons. It is also very lightweight, which makes it suitable for every pocket. The Alcatel QUICKFLIP is all about simplicity and as such a great choice for seniors. It is not as durable as some other models presented in this section, yet it still offers a very compact design that won’t fall apart easily. It measures 6 x 8 x 2 inches and weighs 2.72 ounces.
3. Kyocera Cadence S2720
Kyocera Cadence S2720 is another very capable flip phone. It packs 2GB of RAM which makes it very high performing for a flip phone and able to run smoothly even if you decided to use it for some more advanced tasks. The set also has a large internal storage of 16GB, which means you can store a lot of photos on it if you like. It does have a basic 2MP camera, which is better than nothing, yet it doesn’t have autofocus nor flash. Kyocera Cadence S2720 is not particularly intended for seniors, however, it is very compact and has large buttons. It is a great choice for those who will want to explore advanced features as well. The phone measures 4.19 x 2.08 x 0.76 inches and weighs 4.7 ounces.
4. Alcatel Go Flip
The Alcatel Go Flip is all about simplicity. It comes with a very large keypad that makes navigation super easy. The set also has a rather large 2.8” display for nice menu viewing and easier phonebook browsing. It packs more or less very basic features and is most suitable for seniors that want to limit their use to calling and texting. It does pack a 2MP camera, which is not great but enough to snap a photo or two under the good-light conditions. Alcatel Go Flip measures 4.13 x 2 .08 x 0.74 inches and weighs 4.1 ounces, which about average weight for a flip phone. It nicely fits most pockets and feels good in the hand.
5. Samsung Galaxy Z Flip
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip is technically speaking a smartphone but at the same time a flip phone, which gives it extra compatibility and practicality. We decided to place it on our list as it may be of interest to all hip seniors who want maximum compactness and also the latest that technology has to offer. With the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip, you get the best of both worlds; advanced features and high-performance of a smartphone and solid, compact built flip phone. It packs one of the best phone cameras, amazing processor, large 6.7” touchscreen and more.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip is essentially an advanced computer machine that can be folded and placed in any pocket. Of course, this phone costs a lot, more than most seniors consider paying for a phone. However, if you are a tech-savvy person and have a budget to afford this amazing piece of technology, you will enjoy every second of it. The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip weighs 5.46 ounces.
5 Best 3G Verizon Flip Phones For Seniors
Below are the five flip phones that we chose. These five models are all limited to the 3G network, which means that only existing Verizon customers can use them.
1. Samsung Convoy 4
Samsung Convoy 4 is the first of the 3G-operable phones that we chose. It is a very rugged water-resistant flip phone. The set offers flip phone simplicity but also gives some more advanced options. It also packs a solid 5MP camera that is well capable of capturing memorable moments. The Samsung Convoy 4 measures 0.9 x 4.3 x 2.2 inches and weighs 3.2 ounces. Even though it is not equipped with any seniors-focused features and doesn’t have an extra-large display, it still offers the simplicity of a flip phone and is extremely durable, which is more than enough for it to be on your flip phone list.
2. Easyfone Prime A1
Easyfone Prime A1 is very senior-friendly. It packs large and well-separated buttons, a rather large display, and a special SOS button. Moreover, it still offers some other functionality aside from calls and texts. It also has a camera, which is a very basic 2MP camera but enough to snap some important moments and view them later on. Easyfone Prime A1 offers maximum compatibility with hearing aid devices. It also comes with a charging dock, which makes things even easier. It weighs 3.36 ounces and has a small hole with a handle that can be used to place it on a string and around your neck.
3. Samsung Convoy 3
Samsung Convoy 3 is Convoy’s 4 predecessor and as such slightly less capable and older, which makes it more affordable. It still offers extreme ruggedness as it has a set of rugged military specs. It may not be specially designed for seniors, yet its durability in combination with its price makes it a great choice. The set also offers basic voice control functions and push-to-talk feature, which can come in handy. More importantly, it packs a very good speaker that will help you catch every word. It measures 2 x 0.8 x 4.1 inches and weighs 4.2 ounces, which puts it quite on a heavy side.
4. Samsung Convoy 2
As you can see, we believe that durability and ruggedness perform great with seniors, as such we chose a third Convoy model as well. Samsung Convoy 2 is even older than Convoy 3, which of course means that it is less capable of performing advanced tasks, however, it also offers water resistance and maximum ruggedness. Moreover, it comes at a very affordable price. It also features dual microphones and noise-canceling technology to make it possible to communicate even in windy or other noisy situations. Its 3.2MP camera is far from impressive, however, it can be priceless when you capture a special moment of your grandchild laughing. The Samsung Convoy 2 measures 3.9 x 2 x 0.8 inches and weighs 3.9 ounces.
5. LG Exalt 2
The LG Exalt 2 is another great 3G-limited flip phone. Compared to all of the above flip phones, it offers an incredibly good-looking design. When closed, it displays time on its outer concealed display. It offers large menu icons and large buttons for easy navigation. It also offers a larger display, which makes things easier. Its 5MP camera is also rather solid for a flip phone and more than capable of capturing some important moments. The LG Exalt 2 measures 2.3 x 0.7 x 4.6 inches and weighs 5.1 ounces, which is more than the above models, however, you should keep in mind that it is bigger as well.
Things to Consider Before Buying Best Verizon Flip Phones For Seniors
This section will serve as a buying guide for flip phones. Below we will cover each of the most important aspects that an average senior will highly appreciate in his flip phone and thus makes great sense for a flip phone to possess that quality.
- Simplicity : Simplicity is what makes seniors prefer flip phones in the first place. And even though most flip phones focus on simplicity, there are some that overcomplicate things. Make sure to stick to the ones that keep the basic operation as simple as possible. Calls and text should be easily accessible and the menu shouldn’t be stuffed with features that most seniors will never use. These additional options can only confuse users. Depending on your needs, however, if you need your flip phone mostly for calls and texting, aim for maximum simplicity.
- Ease of use : Ease of use comes hand-in-hand with simplicity. A flip phone should offer functions such as answering by opening the two halves of the phone, ending the call by closing the two halves, large font, simple menu, etc.
- Senior-Specific Carriers : Two carriers specialize in serving seniors: GreatCall (Jitterbug phones) and Consumer Cellular. The first one operates on the Verizon network, while the Consumer Cellular uses AT&T and T-Mobile networks. Of the two, GreatCall is more senior specialized. Their phones offer several senior-specific functions, such as an urgent response button.
- Durability : Average seniors are not as cautious about their phones as the younger generations. They don’t pay as much attention to their phone and as such may throw it around, accidentally sit on it, they also get slightly clumsier and tend to drop a phone often. All this makes it extremely important for a flip phone to be durable and compact.
- Audio and compatibility with hearing aids : As we age our hearing tends to weaken and in many cases, seniors start using a hearing aid. That said, it is extremely important that a flip phone offers quality and loudspeakers and that it is hearing aid compatible (T3/M3 or higher).
- Easy to read : Sight is another issue with seniors. As such, a flip phone needs to offer large fonts that are easy to read. This includes fonts in all areas of the phone; the menu items, the texting, the dial display, the phonebook, etc.
- Button Size : The larger your hand, the larger the buttons you need. In general, as we age, our touch gets less sensitive and as such we all need larger buttons. Thus, all flip phones that target seniors tend to have a large keypad with buttons being easy to press and feel with fingertips.
- Pricing : As a senior, you normally don’t want to spend a fortune on a rather silly thing like a phone. Luckily, most flip phones come at way lower prices compared to smartphones. Of course, there is a certain range of prices with flip phones as well. If you want your flip phone to be water and dust-resistant, you should expect to pay more. Make sure to stay within your budget range. Moreover, if you have very low-income consider applying for the Lifeline Assistance support.
Reasons You May Choose Verizon Flip Phones For Use of Seniors
As you probably know, Verizon is one of the largest wireless providers in the USA. As such they have great coverage. Moreover, Verizon offers affordable plans for seniors. Most seniors want to avoid annual contracts and Verizon makes that possible with their prepaid plans for smartphones or basic phones. Single line prepaid plans start at $30/month and already include unlimited US talk and texting, moreover, it includes unlimited texting to over 200 international destinations.
Besides, Verizon offers discounted additional lines, which can be a great way for married senior couples to save extra on a second line.
Moreover, unlike most other wireless providers who have lately limited their flip phone offers to a single model, Verizon still offers a rather wide range of flip phones that can be purchased on their website, in Verizon local stores, or other reseller stores. Furthermore, Verizon also offers a Bring Your Own Phone option, which means that you can bring a wide range of flip phones purchased elsewhere.
Note : There were major differences between CDMA (Verizon operates on that technology) and GSM until the emersion of 4G LTE technology, which made it possible for phones to be used on both CDMA and GSM-based networks interchangeably as long as they are unlocked. With new 5G technology on the rise, the older networks (2G and 3G) are slowly being put out of operation. That is why Verizon only allows their existing customers to use 3G phones. All new clients must bring/purchase an LTE-based phone.
Frequently Ask Questions on Flip Phones For Verizon
Does Verizon Offer Senior Discounts?
Yes, Verizon does offer a special plan for all above 55 years of age. The plan is called 55+ Unlimited and as the name suggests, it offers unlimited airtime.
To be eligible Verizon discounts for seniors, you must meet these requirements:
- Be 55 years old or older
- Have 1 or 2 phones on your account
- Have a Florida billing address on your account (The 55+ plan is currently only available in Florida)
Does Verizon Have Flip Phones For Seniors?
Yes, Verizon offers 5 flip phone models that can be purchased with them. Moreover, they offer existing (3G and 4G phones) and new clients (only 4G) to bring flip phones from elsewhere.
How To Transfer Contacts From A Flip Phone To Flip Phone Verizon?
You will need your old and new phones, and the Backup Assistant PIN.
- Open the menu on your old basic phone. From the main screen of your old basic phone, select Menu.Note: Utilize the 5-way navigation pad to highlight and the center/OK button to select.
- Launch the backup app on your old phone. Navigate to one of the following (options vary by phone model): Media Center > Backup Assistant, Contacts > Backup Assistant, Verizon Apps > Cloud
- Back up your contacts. Do one of the following (options vary by phone model):
- For devices using Backup Assistant, press the right soft key (‘Backup Now’)
- For devices using Cloud, press the left soft key (‘Back Up Now’)
- Turn off your old phone. Once the backup process is complete on the old phone, turn it off to ensure that it doesn’t interfere with restoring data to your new phone.
- Open the menu on your new phone. If necessary, activate your new phone. Once activation is complete, you’re ready to transfer your contacts. From the main screen of the new basic phone, select Menu. Utilize the 5-way navigation pad to highlight and center/OK button to select.
- Launch the backup app on your new phone. Navigate to one of the following (options vary by phone model), then follow the on-screen instructions: Verizon Apps > Cloud, Contacts > Backup Assistant, Media Center > Backup Assistant. Note: If prompted to enter a PIN, you can view your PIN on the My Verizon website.
- You’re all done. It may take several minutes to download all your contacts to the new phone. When the phone displays “Backed Up”, check the number of contacts.
How To Transfer Pictures From Verizon Flip Phone To Computer?
- Connect the device to a computer using the supplied USB cable.
- Launch File Explorer or Windows Explorer.
- From the Portable Devices section navigate to VS980 4G > Internal Storage.
- Utilize the computer to copy video or picture files from the following folders into the desired folder(s) on the computer’s hard drive.
- Disconnect the USB cable from the computer.
How To Delete Messages On Verizon Kyocera Flip Phone?
- From the main screen, select Menu.
- Select Message.
- Then select a conversation.
- Select a message then press the right soft key to select Options.
- Select Edit Message.
- Press the right soft key to choose Delete.
- Select Delete.
Do Flip Phones Have Gps?
It depends on the model. Many latest flip phone models have GPS built-in.
Do Flip Phones Have Sim Cards?
Not all. CDMA operable flip phones that were produced before 2015 don’t have SIM cards. All flip phones that are operable on the 4G LTE network have SIM cards.
How To Remove The Sim Card From A Samsung Flip Phone?
This process varies from model to model but in general, you must follow these steps:
- Turn off the phone.
- Remove the back cover.
- Remove the battery.
- Press your finger to the SIM card and slide it out of the slot.
Is There A Flip Phone That Is Also A Smartphone?
Yes. The latest models are emerging that are foldable smartphones. We have presented arguably the best of those above.
When Will Verizon Wireless Switch To Gsm In The Us?
As of January 2020, Verizon transferred its operation to the GSM system. That is why new clients can no longer use their 3G, which is CDMA-based.
Are Flip Phones Being Discontinued?
Only 4G LTE flip phones continue normal operations and are still being produced. Moreover, 5G flip phones will also be produced in the future.
Will Verizon Flip Phones Become Obsolete?
They might be replaced by smartphone foldable phones, which are new aged flip phones in the future. However, for now, 4G flip phones are still being produced.
Is A Flip Phone Better Than A Smartphone?
It highly depends on the user’s preferences. Overall, the top flip phone can’t match the capabilities of a top-performing smartphone. However, no smartphone offers that kind of simplicity offered by flip phones.
Will Verizon Flip Phones Work In 2024?
Yes, 4G-operable phones will continue to work normally, though 3G supported phones will work only until the end of 2022.
Final Thoughts
We did our best to cover all the details related to Verizon flip phones for seniors. We hope you’ve found the information provided useful and that it will help you decide which flip phone to choose. Make sure to consider 3G and 4G operability and keep in mind that 3G will work on Verizon only until the end of 2022.
