also: ガラけい · ガラケイ
noun
feature phone; Japanese flip phone
Colloquial abbreviation of ガラパゴスケータイ. Refers to traditional Japanese mobile phones with specialized features (e.g., i-mode, one-seg TV) that evolved separately from smartphones. Often used in contrast to スマホ.
See also: ガラパゴスケータイ
There are still quite a few people who use feature phones.
スマホに変えてから、ガラケーのボタンが懐かしい。
Since switching to a smartphone, I miss the buttons on my old flip phone.
Full, formal term from which ガラケー is abbreviated. Used in more technical or explanatory contexts.
Smartphone; the modern counterpart. ガラケー is often used in contrast to スマホ.
English loanword for feature phone; less common in casual Japanese than ガラケー.
Abbreviation of ガラパゴスケータイ (Galápagos keitai), a term coined from the idea that Japanese mobile phones evolved in isolation like Galápagos species, developing unique features not found elsewhere.