phoners
A phoner is a someone who has entered a store of some type while on their cellular device and who then attempts to perform some form of business transaction with a clerk. They use rudimentary forms of gestures and facial expressions to try and inform the clerk of the item they would like to purchase. They rarely use words and if they do it is in low tones, so that they are not rude to the person on the other end of their conversation, but also so they will be nearly inaudible to the clerk.
urban dictionary
Aren’t phoners the same people (although now a little older) who would wear the old RED LED WATCHES that had ‘cutesy’ alarms and set them to go OFF during the MOVIE at a theatre ?