Yondr Hopes To Create A Phone-Free Dance Floor

The advent of smartphones has undeniably changed the way we interact with the world around us. This includes how we memorialize and capture special moments in life; with social media’s ubiquitous nature and the high powered cameras now present in nearly every phone, the temptation to record, Snapchat, or FaceTime a concert you’re at is inevitable. Phones at concerts have been a contentious topic recently, with some DJ’s, such as Richie Hawtin, going to extreme measures to show their distaste for the devices distracting from their shows, alleging that some fans spend more time tweeting and snapping during the event than actually dancing or enjoying themselves.

Now, Yondr has proposed a potential solution to that problem, without forcing attendees to hand over their phones completely. The company proposes a plan in which they will provide venues or artists with specially designed pouches that fans will place their phones in, which will then lock in designated phone-free zones. The cases will then unlock while out of these “zones,” most likely in bathrooms or theater lobbies. According to its website, Yondr’s vision states:

Smartphones have fundamentally changed how we live. How to integrate them into our lives as a useful tool, rather than a compulsive habit, is a question that needs an answer.

We think smartphones have incredible utility, but not in every setting. In some situations, they have become a distraction and a crutch—cutting people off from each other and their immediate surroundings.

Yondr has a simple purpose: to show people how powerful a moment can be when we aren’t focused on documenting or broadcasting it.

It will be interesting to see how the music world reacts to Yondr’s idea, and more importantly, how willing fans will be to give up access to their phone, even for a little while. For more on the innovative idea check out Yondr’s website.

H/T: Magnetic Mag