alt Hacker News1) Choosing to split up tools in this way is a valid form of self control called precommitment. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Precommitment
2) Apps may change and often experience “enshittification.” Hardware can break but non-connected hardware is otherwise unlikely to change.
3) Many apps collect private data through telemetry or ad networks. Data may leak or be sold.
4) Decoupling allows you to precommit to different situations. For example, you could bring your media player but not your phone to your workout if you have trouble staying on task, or if you just want to disconnect for a while.
5) Many people have limits to their self control, hence the prevalence of destructive addictions (gambling, alcohol, drugs) in society. For these people it’s a good idea to precommit when possible in addition to working on other skills to manage the problem.
>Apps may change and often experience “enshittification.” Hardware can break but non-connected hardware is otherwise unlikely to change.
This is a huge part of it. Connected apps are never complete. They can't be. They must always evolve in pursuit of the marginal user, eventually betraying their core audience.
An unconnected single-purpose device doesn't need to make anyone happy other than the user who owns and operates it, which makes it more valuable for the user in the long-run.