Iris Easy Flip Review, a Hands-On Test
Finding an affordable flip phone that actually works can feel impossible, especially when many senior-focused phones cost over $100. The Iris Easy Flip caught our attention with its $59 price tag, which is $20 less expensive than the Jitterbug Flip2. When paired with a Consumer Cellular plan, you can pay as little as $20 per month for service.
During our two-week hands-on testing, we put the Iris Easy Flip through its paces with real-world use. The phone delivered seven hours of talk time and an impressive 13 days on standby. Call quality impressed us across both urban and rural areas.
The catch? Without voice commands or voice-to-text capabilities, we spent three times longer composing text messages compared to voice-enabled competitors such as the Jitterbug Flip2. That limitation makes the Iris Easy Flip best suited for older adults who primarily make calls rather than text, but at this price point, that trade-off may be worth it for budget-conscious buyers.
Looking for a phone plan for $15 per month? Read our list of this year’s best senior phone plans.
Pros
- Simple design: The Iris Easy Flip’s design –– although limited –– is easy for anyone to pick up and use.
- Large screens: With two 2.8-inch screens, the Iris Easy Flip made it easy to read text and navigate menus.
- Selfie-capable: Although it has only one 5MP camera, the phone can operate even when it’s closed. This feature allows you to take front- and rear-facing photos.
- Solid battery life: The Iris Easy Flip’s battery gave us seven hours of talk time, and it lasted 14 days on standby.
- Affordable: At $59, the flip phone is one of the most affordable phones we’ve tested.
Cons
- No voice-to-text: The phone does not support voice-to-text, so text must be painstakingly typed out. Read our list of the best flip phones to find devices that streamline texting.
- Cumbersome apps: The Iris Easy Flip has an internet browser and calendar, but both apps were difficult to operate with the phone’s keypad, rendering them nearly useless.
- No voice commands: Devices like the Jitterbug Flip2 incorporate voice commands to streamline their operation, but the Iris Easy Flip has no such capabilities.
Pro Tip: According to Pew Research, 61% of adults 65 or older now own smartphones, up from just 18% in 2013.1 If you’re comfortable with technology, consider a simplified smartphone instead of a flip phone for better features at a similar monthly cost.
Iris Easy Flip Video Review
Want to see the Iris Easy Flip in action? Watch our full video review.
Purchasing the Iris Easy Flip
The Iris Easy Flip is available from various brick-and-mortar locations, including Target and Walmart. I purchased the phone from Consumer Cellular’s website. The phone cost me $59, plus $12 for shipping, which was more affordable than other phones for seniors, like the Jitterbug Smart4.
Plans
With Consumer Cellular, I purchased a plan for $20 per month that included 1GB of data and unlimited talk and text. Consumer Cellular offers plans with greater data amounts, but I figured that most Iris Easy Flip users wouldn’t be doing too many data-heavy tasks like streaming video. The Iris Easy Flip also supports Wi-Fi, so when I used the internet at home, I didn’t use any of my data allowance.
One thing to note with Consumer Cellular, though, is that their monthly prices, as stated on their website, include the discount for enrolling in the auto-pay option. With auto-pay enabled, your payment method will automatically be charged each month.
If you opt out of the auto-pay option, your monthly bill will be $5 higher, regardless of which plan you choose.
Activation
Once I received my Iris Easy Flip, I unboxed the phone and found the following:
- 1 Iris Easy Flip phone
- 1 USB-C charging cable
- 1 wall adapter
To activate my phone, I simply had to charge it and call Consumer Cellular’s customer-service line. The phone already contained a SIM card, which meant I didn’t have to go through the annoying process of popping out a SIM tray and placing the card myself.
Iris Easy Flip Design
The Iris Easy Flip has a standard flip-phone design. On the front, you’ll find its 2.8-inch external screen that displays the date, time and notifications. On the side of the phone, you’ll find the 3.5-millimeter headphone jack and the volume rocker, which can be used while the phone is closed. On the other side, you’ll find the USB-C port and a dedicated camera button. If you want to take a quick selfie, the camera can also be opened while the phone is closed.
When you open the phone, you’ll find another 2.8-inch screen. Beneath it, you’ll find the phone’s backlit keypad. The soft keys will open notifications and messages, respectively. You’ve also got your Call and End Call buttons and dedicated buttons for your favorite contacts, speaker and clear. The latter can be used to return to the previous screen.
The Iris Easy Flip boasts a good design and substantial feel. Its sturdy flip mechanism and tactile keys are positives, but the external screen lacks touch functionality, which would improve call and text management without opening the device.
>> Read more: The Best Phones With Big Buttons
Using the Iris Easy Flip
The Iris Easy Flip’s interface is pretty limited, and I imagine that’s part of the appeal for most users. The home screen displays the date, time, battery life and Wi-Fi and cellular signals. To make a call, you can dial a number or jump to your contacts and choose a recipient. You can also press the Favorites button to open your most-contacted contacts.
In all of my test calls, the audio came in clearly on both ends. The phone is also rated M4/T4 in terms of hearing aid compatibility. When I used the phone with hearing aids, I noticed no audio interference.
The only issue I found was that during a call, the Speaker button didn’t do anything; instead, I had to press the OK button to turn the speakerphone on and off. That isn’t the most serious issue, but I thought it defeated the purpose of having a dedicated Speaker button.
Texting
In recent years, many flip phones have incorporated voice-to-text capabilities, which can streamline the process of sending messages on a numeric keypad. Unfortunately, the Iris Easy Flip does not have the feature.
With this phone, texting was a particularly painful experience. The messaging interface was sleek and visually appealing, but there was no option for voice-to-text capabilities. Instead, you’ll have to manually type out every message on the 12-digit keypad.
On the plus side, I found KT9 predictive text to be pretty useful, but it was still much more cumbersome than voice-to-text.
Research Note: One study found that excessive use of technology like smartphones can result in impairments in daily life.2 Because of that, some people may find a simplified phone more rewarding in the long run.
Apps
In terms of apps, the Iris Easy Flip is a bit more limited than similar devices. You’ll find no support for any type of app store, so you’re pretty much stuck with what’s already on the phone. That includes a voice recorder, basic music app, clock, calculator and FM radio.
There is also an internet browser app, but I found it incredibly cumbersome to use.
First, there’s the KT9 predictive typing, with which I’ve already aired my frustrations. Then, to navigate a website, you’ll need to slowly move your cursor with the directional pad. On top of that, most websites are not optimized for a screen of this size. So, apart from the occasional Google search, I don’t see the internet browser being all that useful.
I would say the same thing about the phone’s calendar app. I appreciate that the app is there, but the clunky way you have to input text makes it not worth your while. If someone is purchasing this phone, however, I assume they’re not going to rely on it to keep track of appointments. They probably have a physical calendar for that.
Iris Easy Flip Camera
The Iris Easy Flip has one 5MP camera. In a feat of flip-phone engineering, this one camera can be used to take both traditional photos and selfies. Overall, I found the camera quality to be roughly what you would expect from a 5MP flip-phone camera. Colors are inaccurate and lack nuance, and the photos are usually pretty dark, especially when taken inside. There’s also no LED flash, so good luck taking photos in the dark.
Videos are pretty grainy and taken at a low frame rate. Also, the phone didn’t appear to support sending videos, which is a bit disappointing. Then again, since their quality was so poor, perhaps that’s for the best.
If you were expecting the Easy Flip to be a leap forward in terms of flip-phone cameras, then you may be disappointed. But if you plan to take only the occasional photo and have no desire to post them online, then this phone may suffice.
Iris Easy Flip vs. Iris Flip
| Iris Flip | Iris Easy Flip | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | $69 | $59 |
| Battery life | 19 hours of talk time | 7 hours of talk time |
| Voice commands | Yes | Not available |
| App store | KaiOS | None |
| Safety features | None | None |
Prior to the Iris Easy Flip, there was the Iris Flip. The two phones are nearly identical in size, design and camera quality, but I’d like to highlight a few key differences.
The first is voice-to-text. You must painstakingly type out each character with the Easy Flip, but you can use your voice to text with the Iris Flip. For those who are heavy texters, that would be super useful. You can also use voice-to-text when conducting Google searches on the Iris Flip.
The Iris Flip also has native apps for YouTube and Google Maps. They’re both a bit clunkier to use than they would be on a smartphone, but I appreciate that they’re here. They could come in handy in a pinch.
Both devices are similar in battery life, camera quality and all the other specs. If voice-to-text and YouTube accessibility are essential to you, I think the Iris Flip is a much better option. Unfortunately, Consumer Cellular no longer sells the device, and you’ll most likely have to buy it used.
To learn more about my hands-on experience with the Iris Flip, read my full Consumer Cellular review.
Industry Trend: ZDNET reports that flip phone sales increased among millennials and Gen Z in 2023, with searches for flip phones growing exponentially year over year. Ironically, younger generations seeking “digital detox” are driving innovation in senior-friendly phones, leading to better features and lower prices across the category.
Our Verdict
The Iris Easy Flip is incredibly affordable, costing a one-time $59 payment. Plans with Consumer Cellular are also budget-friendly, starting at $20 per month for 1GB of data and unlimited talk and text. And let’s be real: You won’t be using much data with this phone.
The design is also incredibly simple. If you’ve ever used a flip phone, this one will be familiar. I also appreciate the battery life on this thing. It gave us seven hours of talk time and nearly two weeks on standby.
In terms of the negatives, we have the Iris Easy Flip’s camera. Its photos cannot compare to those of even the most affordable smartphones. But, more importantly, I wish there were voice-to-text capabilities. I can overlook app functionality — after all, who’s online shopping or browsing Facebook from a flip phone? I really wish there was some way to dictate text or use a voice assistant though. It makes flip phones so much easier to use.
If you want a flip phone with that functionality, I’d recommend the Jitterbug Flip2. But if you only need a phone for talking and the occasional text or grainy photo, the Iris Easy Flip is affordable.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Is the Iris Easy Flip a smartphone?
The Iris Easy Flip has an internet browser, but it lacks any other smart features, such as touch screens and voice commands.
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Does the Iris Easy Flip have internet?
Yes, the Iris Easy Flip has a built-in internet browser. Since the phone has no touch screen, however, the browser is clunky to navigate.
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What carrier does the Iris Easy Flip use?
The Iris Easy Flip uses Consumer Cellular and can be paired with plans starting at $20 per month.
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How long does the Iris Easy Flip’s battery last?
In our tests, the Iris Easy Flip gave us seven hours of talk time and nearly two weeks on standby.
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Can seniors with hearing aids use the Iris Easy Flip?
Yes, the Iris Easy Flip is excellent for hearing aid users with its M4/T4 compatibility rating — the highest available. During our testing with multiple hearing aid models, we experienced zero interference or buzzing.
