Nathan Ingraham for Engadget

It's been about a year since the Light Phone III first arrived. Like Light's first two phones, this device only ships with a limited set of apps ("tools," as Light calls them) to help users avoid distraction. When I tested it out last year , I really enjoyed the experience but also found there were a handful of things I still need from a phone that the Light Phone III didn't provide.

Later this year, though, things could be a lot different. Light has announced a developer program for the Light Phone III which will let people create tools for the minimalist device. In addition to providing an SDK, Light will also provide a platform for sharing and distributing tools.…