Iconic PC maker Commodore to launch a flip phone that will help users stay away from social media: Here’s how it will work
Commodore, the brand known for the Commodore 64 PCs, has announced a new flip phone called the Callback 8020. This new phone is designed to limit access to social media and web browsing. The device, which is expected to begin shipping in the fourth quarter of this year, will be priced between $500 a
By Toi Tech Desk
Commodore, the brand known for the Commodore 64 PCs, has announced a new flip phone called the Callback 8020.
This new phone is designed to limit access to social media and web browsing.
The device, which is expected to begin shipping in the fourth quarter of this year, will be priced between $500 and $640 depending on the variant.The Callback 8020 arrives as interest in so-called "dumb phones" continues to grow among users looking to reduce distractions.
While the phone supports internet-based features such as maps, QR codes and messaging apps, Commodore says web browsers and social media applications will be blocked at the system level.Christian “Peri Fractic” Simpson, who bought the Commodore brand and trademarks in 2025, said the company’s Commostore app marketplace uses a whitelist model that does not include social media platforms or browsers.In a statement to Ars Technica, Simpson said, "We’ve also developed patent-pending technology that will prevent these apps—and only these apps—from being sideloaded on the device. … Users can sideload nearly anything else they want if it isn’t available on the Commostore, but we’ve drawn a firm line in the sand around any apps that drive doomscrolling.
On the off-chance somebody finds a way around that, we’ve also blocked access at the DNS level.
So even if you manage to get TikTok installed, you’re not going to be able to reach its servers."Commodore Callback 8020: Features and specsThe Callback 8020 runs on Sailfish OS, a Linux-based operating system developed by Jolla, a company founded by former Nokia employees.
Commodore says the device can run more than 99% of Android apps via Sailfish OS's Android compatibility layer, including Spotify, Signal, and WhatsApp.The company has also preloaded several games from the Commodore 64 era.
For audio, the phone includes an 8-bit SID music player, a built-in FM radio, a 3.5mm headphone jack and an onboard DAC.
A pair of in-ear monitors will be bundled with the device.The phone features a secondary external display inspired by 1970s Commodore calculators and includes interchangeable covers and support for attaching phone charms.How this flip phone will focus on reducing digital distractionsCommodore says the Callback 8020 is aimed at users who want access to essential mobile features without constant exposure to social media platforms.
The company also claims the phone does not collect personal data without consent or monetise user information."There is something very fitting about a company like Commodore—where the lights dimmed in the nineties—returning ready to enter its Y2K era just as consumers are beginning to move back to that simpler tech," Fractic said in a statement.The Callback 8020 marks Commodore's latest hardware launch following the release of the Commodore 64 Ultimate and Commodore 64X PC after the brand's revival under Simpson's ownership.Get the latest technology news and updates.
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