This is a most excellent place for technology news and articles.
Definitely wouldn't want a dumbphone. Rather the opposite, like a super-smartphone, something like Raspberry Pi inside my pocket (PinePhone may be getting there).
This post got me to try installing Jellyfin server in Termux under proot, only to realize it's fairly useless for random videos and then wipe it 5 minutes later, but anyway that's the kind of things I do/want to do with my phone.
And hell, I'd definitely want a keyboard attachment like the PinePhone has.
Go check a place like AliExpress: plenty of those there.
It's not even as if dumbphones are amazingly complicated and highly dependent on complex software to work - the actual complex mobile network stuff comes inside modules that do most of the work.
If dumbphones aren't reaching people's hands in some countries the problem is in distribution or maybe lack or awareness: we do live in a Marketing-heavy society and people are almost conditioned to go for expensive branded stuff.
Only if they can hardwire all the data collection in. That is too big of a money maker for them to give up.
I've been getting my family into lora. It's nice just having Ubuntu that texts. I still use my phone for mobile connectivity as a hot spot but apps are largely going un updated, and their silly ads unviewed.
Obviously not the solution for everyone but damn its freeing if you can.
