待翻译:The best anti-AI smartphones in 2026: Expert tested and recommended
AI 服务暂时不可用,以下为来源摘要,待恢复后补全翻译:Sick to death of unwanted AI features getting stuffed into your smartphone? We tested the best models from Apple, Samsung, and more that forego AI in favor of features you actually need.
AI 服务暂时不可用,以下为来源正文,待恢复后补全翻译。
These days, it feels like AI and machine learning algorithms are being stuffed into every device, whether it makes sense to do so or not. With almost every major brand announcing that AI will be a standard feature in new releases going forward, you may be looking for a way to avoid it entirely. Thankfully, there are still plenty of options on the market for phones that don't force AI as an integral feature; you can even find a few "dumb" phones if you're wanting a total digital detox.Get more in-depth ZDNET tech coverage: Add us as a preferred Google source on Chrome and Chromium browsers.What is the best phone without AI features right now?Almost every major brand still offers older phones that either allow you to opt out of or remove AI features, or that simply don't support AI at all. The is a solid choice for iOS users, since it's just one generation behind and still offers premium-grade features while allowing you to opt out of Apple Intelligence. Also: The best phones we've tested this yearIf you're an Android user, you'll have to go all the way back to the to find a phone that doesn't automatically include Galaxy AI support. You can keep reading below to find out more about these devices as well as the rest of my picks for the best anti-AI phones. The best without AI features of 2026 Pros of using phones without AI featuresAside from the removal of features you didn't want in the first place, there are plenty of reasons to opt out of using AI on your phone. Phones aren't just devices we use to call and text anymore; they have 100,000 times the processing power of the IBM computer that got us to the moon and connect us to the entire breadth of human knowledge via the internet. They also store our IDs, bank info, personal data, and the data of our friends and family. They track us with geolocation data and browsing trends. All of this data can be more vulnerable on AI-enabled devices, and both Apple Intelligence and Microsoft Co-Pilot have already come under fire for security flaws that could expose sensitive data like names, addresses, and even medical information that has been recorded in apps. These AI programs are also constantly recording audio and video of your screen, whether you tell them to or not, to deliver personalized data reports. For Apple Intelligence, the analytical data is kept as a local log that Apple claims is never exported off the device. However, we learned from Lopez v. Apple Inc. corporations are, at the very least, often careless with personal data. This class action lawsuit proved that Siri was recording private conversations without being activated and without the knowledge or consent of users, which were then stored on Apple servers. So, deactivating or removing AI software from your devices is a huge step toward protecting yourself from data leaks and software exploits that allow bad actors to harvest information.Cons of using phones without AI featuresThere aren't any cons to using a phone that either doesn't support AI at all or simply lets you opt out of the software in the sense that you'll be walling off essential features. But there are a few things to consider if you want to opt out or remove AI software from your device. If your phone has software-level only AI, you can safely disable and remove AI-enabled apps and programs from your phone without running the risk of damaging your phone. You may run into battery performance issues if you have a newer phone, since the operating system may run a constant check for the software/apps you removed or disabled, or even CPU performance issues, as the operating system and hardware may not reallocate those electronic resources to other features.If your device has hardware-level AI, you have to fundamentally change the way your phone was built in order to remove AI features. Hardware-level devices are purpose-built for AI integration, and you can severely damage your phone and void your product warranty if you attempt to modify any of the internal electronics. You could also trigger a device's kill switch if it detects abnormal voltage, which will destroy the internal electronics and brick your device. Not to mention that some brands bury terms in their EULA that allow them to void your warranty if you make any hardware modifications.Latest news on anti-AI smartphonesAlmost every major phone manufacturer has announced some sort of AI implementation for their devices in recent years, like Apple Intelligence, Samsung's Galaxy AI, Motorola's Moto AI, and Google Gemini. They've also shifted from software-level apps to hardware-level AI. This means it will be next to impossible to opt out of or remove AI features from your smartphone.FAQ on phones without AI features More non-AI phones to consider