I'm not the one you replied to, but I'd say: Get any random dumbphone for a small amount of money, live with it for 2 weeks. See if you like it. If not, no time wasted deciding on the "best" replacement product.

For me, the 2 weeks turned into 5 years (so far).

Oh and I've migrated to a different country in that time, and I'm still alive, despite not having a navigation app thingy. No excuses! :)

Unfortunately you can't just use an old flip-phone because the 2G networks are all shutdown. Although there are a couple companies today making "dumb" phones.

A good middle ground I found is the Light Phone. You can send and receive texts, load music and podcasts onto it, and it has GPS navigation. But, it has no web browser, no appstore and a monochrome e-ink display.

https://www.thelightphone.com/

I use a Nokia 105 that I found in a desk drawer.

>here in NYC it's nice to have maps when you're out

I'm very grateful I live in a country where going smartphone-free, a bit like going car-free, is still a viable choice while maintaining a relatively mainstream lifestyle. Good luck!

Saying that, colleagues and friends have had a laugh out of some of the escapades I've got myself in to, with no smartphone for navigation. I still maintain that my choice is better for me overall, in terms of time and energy usage.

Have you considered using nothing?

I've considered just using a smart watch, since it'd let me keep in contact with my wife or coordinate when out meeting up with friends. But I guess no, I haven't considered just getting rid of a phone/communication device altogether. I haven't lived with a TV for 20 years, so maybe I just go back some decades altogether and give up the phone for a while to see how it feels.