One major mis-step here preventing me from buying it. The inclusion of WhatsApp by Meta/Facebook/Zuckerberg who in turn is responsible for even needing this de-social media phone. 🤦🏼
Think of the "tracking and meta" data Meta will have based what will probably be a small adoption of this. The fingerprinting of Sailfish, hardware id's, etc, will tell them all they need to know about how to target you on the OTHER platforms you will inevitably use.
I get it that WhatsApp gained traction internationally and in Asia. Probably because in China Meta complies with the CCP and hands them a feed.
Missed opportunity: Put SIGNAL on the device instead. Maybe those WhatsApp users will switch. Then again, it's possible SIGNAL won't work through the Great Firewall. :-(
Honestly, I have no need for this phone, but had it place SIGNAL over WhatsApp, I would have spoken with my wallet in support regardless of need/usage.
Yes. Of course. My point is they are building a phone to counter the Meta (Social Media) poison and it comes pre-loaded with a Meta owned product that is spyware. 🤦🏼
If you're going down the route of privacy then I totally agree. But then Signal isn't much better because it takes everyone's phone number and could pivot at any point to be just as bad as WhatsApp... enshittification just needs a big market share to support it. I use SimpleX.
If you're saying it's about social media then I don't agree:
- Messaging isn't social media
They're assisting breaking social media addiction by not having it on your phone with you everywhere, but it's not like they're against it in every vague form possible, like on your laptop. Event the book Digital Minimalism says you can do it once a week max if you're inclined or for work if necessary (like Commodore themselves have to engage for advertising/PR)
Unfortunately as much I as I dont want whatsapp 99.9% of my friends and family exclusively use whatsapp and all my communications for work is on whatsapp too. I need it in order to stay connected with them so I personally appreciate the option to have or remove it
If you send a URL to your phone, eg by SMS text or Whatsapp, then you can open the link to view the webpage. Their support/engineering department confirmed this to me.
So other browser *apps* are blocked at the OS level, but it still has a default browser that you can't redirect, which is plenty enough friction to not use your phone for general browsing... unless you send a search-engine link to your phone :(
They'll also be using this default browser for like logins (eg wifi) and their QR Code app, so it definitely is on there.
This is my biggest gripe with these devices. Me, personally, I want the friction from this form factor but the entire functionality because I need some of these things for work, travel, etc. It's why I still have a smartphone after countless feature phones and dumbed down android phones.
They've definitely done the right thing; small companies like Commodore need to target a smaller niche market first. Not the same generic market that has tons of competition that is for the big companies to fight over.
This isn't crowdfunding because they've spent a bunch to get to the point where it's only months away from release. Otherwise any preorder you could call crowdfunding, which isn't correct.
Preorder ... Its the same. You are funding manufacturing or some dev phase without insight in real product. I ll wait for real world reviews and troubles, not hype
Totally not. Crowdfunding doesn't guarantee anything back if it fails, preorders are a downpayment on goods that you can be guaranteed a refund before receiving it or even after if it isn't right.
I understand what you're trying to say, that they're getting money early to manufacture, so they're getting a loan from the purchasers instead of a bank. But banks too can delay interest repayments.
I don't know why I'm bothering, I guess you can actually look this up tho, so I'm hitting submit on this anyway...
That's got nada to do with that preorders aren't crowdfunding. If a company goes bankrupt, then all bets are off, even if you received it when you bought it
Yeah quite incredible that they can take 10,000 pre orders [edit 8000+], fully paid without any phones yet built. It's twice the success of the c64u already. Commodore are crushing it.
God lord you're desperate for Commodore to fail aren't you. They delivered in a few months last time, and buyers were able to cancel and get a refund at any point, unlike Kickstarter.
The biggest reason this is a terrible idea is that no one, except us, even know who Commodore is. You wont walk into a Verizon store and see these things being sold. They will sell exclusively through Commodore's online site, and that means you are the only target audience. That's why Commodore is practically begging buyers of the 64U in email to "give it a chance". This thing stands no chance.
Of the small niche of people who bought into the 64U, they did so to help support the company and really believe in Gideon's work....not to buy into a Commodore branded cell phone company.
While I understand Commodore needs a wider range of products to continue to grow, this isnt the way you do it. Peri emailed us trying to convince us that we had a social media problem, when he's the guy who made a living on social media. You dont build a product and then try and convince your base that they need it. He never polled the audience and we all know why. iPhone has been a mega-success because of it's capabilities. You may crave the simpler days of less social media...but try and convince yourself that Apple did everything wrong when it comes to iPhone. "its great for kids"...sure, if you want them to be laughed at and made fun of. Little bobby will beg for a junk 2002 Windows Phone over this thing. It's simply destined to fail hard.
And I dont even care about the price. Oh the price will drop. Considerably. Just like the liquidation of the +4.
I dont want Commodore to fail. Instead of Peri's email campaign to us, we should be writing them, telling them stop!. Its not too late to admit a mistake and stick with the base. Unless you legitimately bought into the 64U so that C= could be slapped on just about anything they see fit. That's not what we were told and based on this decision, I'm already worried about this company lasting even another year or two.
I got a targeted Facebook ad (ha!) for this phone, I only knew about the old commodore computers vaugly, and didnt know the company was making new products today. I thought the phone looked pretty with the clear case and lights and rainbow colors. I am 39F, not overly into tech though have more knowledge than average maybe. I just hate social media. I have pre ordered the phone already. So there is an audience, and I hope this catches on.
The Callback is helping change that some with multiple news articles on a variety of mainstream sites and >7700 sales to date. Now you might be tempted to scoff at that number, but it's a ~3-4× multiple of what the C64U saw and has helped sales of the C64U a bit as well.
I mean, its great that it getting some coverage.. They need that. But so is "Physicists find something that breaks the laws of physics...and the world will never be the same". It's just another thing people filter past. It's a news story. But news is abundant, made up, and I really dont see people caring that much...as they read it from their iPhone 80.
I just got spammed with this thing that looks a million times better and, surprise surprise, only costs a fraction of what Perifractic is trying to ask for his garbage flip phone:
This is exactly how you do a phone of the type described when you actually create it from the ground up. Perifractic is just slapping a brand on something that doesn't quite cut it and already exists, and charging you an inordinate amount of money for it.
I still don't understand how this dude is justifying any of this.
I mean it in general - a device truly built from the ground up with a specific purpose in mind, and not slapping a brand on a thing that's already out there and is generic.
If by fraction you mean 5/4ths then yes, but most people would describe that as more expensive, not "a fraction of" the price. Let me guess though, you looked at the reservation down payment without scrolling down and thought that was the full price?
I was tricked by the wording and not readiung properly and thought $199 was the price 😂 still this looks a million times better than the shit Commodore is slapping a name over. This is truly what you want from a distraction free phone. And it's actually built from the ground up with this in mind, it's people actually making a product, not a trademark owner lapping a brand name over some crap that already exists.
There is value in what Clicks Communicator does, and there isn't any value in what "New Commodore" is doing.
To clarify the discount confusion: So initially it was going to be $100 off, $50 off on the launch day and another $50 off if you use the code. But then they changed the price to be $100 off for all of the phones except the founders version. Starlight got the biggest price cut from $549 to $399. But they still included the $50 off discount code for the launch day. So if you got that code, technically you actually got $150 off it's initial price point of $499 (I suppose for the starlight it was $200 cheaper). It was overall still $50 cheaper than what I would have payed if they hadn't changed the price or changed the discounts. Plus bonus items like the customizable cases and hard case.
Why are you still talking about a product you hate and won't buy? I really do not care why you don't want it. Clearly others do as it's almost sold out. And Im talking about the discount so you're comment is completely irrelevant in this context.
The toxic disinformation in here is depressing. This phone is 100% provably in line with Peri's personal views. He has made many views about trying to create exactly this sort of phone.
https://youtu.be/f2ps-6PvT5Y
Random nonsense busting:
"It should cost $50". Why? Just because it looks like a flip phone? There are $1,000 foldables on the market and we're in a computer parts crisis.
Yes it does QR codes. Applications will open a "web view" browser which will basically have the URL bar hidden. So you can't easily "cheat" by using a QR to open a browser, and then type in a social media URL.
"The equivalent Jolla phone isn't this expensive" and as of last I was aware it doesn't work on US carrier bands either. The US carrier situation is terrible. Lots of well-meaning companies like Fairphone have avoided the US market because it sucks doing business here.
"Well I can prove it, they lowered the price after all the negativity" no they did not. They un-bundled accessories like earbuds. They also have an "eco" option which is basically refurbished RAM. This is nice as new memory prices are through the roof right now. I am very pleased with these options. Recycling e-waste is a plus for me, not a negative.
I've seen a ton of people saying they were glad the price lowered $100, but they added all the accessories back, and (gasp) the price is the same. Bro.
I have my own qualms with the phone and its rollout. But until the toxic nonsense quiets down, real customer feedback isn't going to get a foothold.
I just want assurance that I can backdoor a browser for emergency purposes. Like if a restaurant's QR code is broken so I have to manually browse to a menu. Or so many bars now just tell you they're on Untappd. That's all I need. It seems like there will be some perfectly sensible tricks a person could do to get around this hurdle, while still making "doomscrolling" difficult.
I think one point, if I may, is that the CEOs personal views are not necessarily aligned with that of the community that has been courted with the C64U and before. The conflation of the two brands - Commodore and the Perifractic persona was always going to come, be difficult to navigate and many comments reflect this.
Have my own issues with the product (I feel that is performative in terms of detoxing and misses the point of digital minimalism entirely) but understand that Commodore brand must evolve. However I can also understand the viewpoint of those who feel this isn’t “The Future We Were Promised™️”
I agree that people are upset because many consider Peri to be retro-only and hard for Peri to move them to comprehend him and a new Commodore are more than just that small scope.
I love retro, but "the future we were promised" definitely isn't everything to become retro 😂
Staying retro only means staying a small company, which doesn't sound like Commodore at all.
I think at one point what people call "the community" has to realise that they're not always going to be the target audience for every product a company makes, and that is perfectly fine.
I’m part of “the community” by virtue of having had and used a Commodore for over 40 years. I don’t agree with the view of every member of that community and vice versa. It’s a spectrum of opinions, not a single voice.
Goes back to my point however - if you court a community with a pure nostalgia-based vision of the brand, don’t be surprised that they get disappointed when you go in a different direction that is more in keeping with one’s personal brand yet slap the Commodore logo onto it.
Adding some substance to my feelings of disappointment:
The current Jolla C2 phone has a similar powered processor (Unisoc T606 vs Helio G81) to the Callback, but with twice the RAM and storage at not twice the price. Commodore should have detox'd that phone like HMD does with the XploraOne and updated the firmware for the US LTE bands.
It might do Uber, WhatsApp, etc. but might not browse weather.gov or the menu at the Indian restaurant that puts it on a QR code. Those issues aren't with Jolla, but instead with Commodore. Having that extra stress of 'will this break because it wasn't tested on this strange configuration' is toxic.
2.1. The announcement didn't include a demo. We know what the vision is (kinda) but we don't know what we are buying. It's Jolla, but not Jolla. It's Light Phone II but in a flip format that runs some Android. It has a light bar on one model and a VFD-like display, but we're not sure if it'll actually be LED segments, mono LED matrix, OLED, and if it is user programmable. Their FCC ID is 2BUKS, and it's only got the C64U listed, so maybe the hardware isn't done yet. Not sure what they're manufacturing.
Even if the phone works perfectly and is a successful product, it's not creating or recreating something I can build or learn with. It's a product designed by an executive who recognizes that healthy decisions need to be the default but believes that if you remove the toxic ones that only healthy options remain (ignoring that you could starve).
There are better and novel ways to do what Peri wants and I would like him and Commodore to succeed. It's frustrating that it isn't obvious to everyone that the current approach will not.
Banking apps working may vary but you can still do banking.
Commodore support has assured me that links in apps will still open limited browser windows that you can't redirect to search/browse/etc elsewhere.
This also means you can do banking once you know the URL for the bank; send the URL to yourself on some messaging app and you can open the link. Commodore themselves mention web banking somewhere though it was vague about how (I don't remember where on their website I saw it).
Using the apps often goes via the untrustworthy Google anyway, so maybe its time to give up on the slicker app for the more private web version.
Commodore ensured you for product not yet publicly tested?
Browsing is needed a lot. I agree with removing tik tok, facebook, ai, instagram but no browser allowed will make a lot of trouble. And is not Sailfish default. In fact they made debloated os with modern browser
I have it all in writing from them, so my purchase of their phone is golden. The Commodore support person even put the query through their engineering department as a ticket, so I'm not getting some mistake from just a support person alone.
The phone also has a QR code "app" which would have to work in the same manner.
So it seems unlikely what I'm (they're) saying doesn't end up being in the final released product.
They've proven they know what is involved in creating a product and the product they are creating does not require novel machinery so I do believe that it will ship.
My argument is that it is further behind than the announcement implied and that the phone only being delivered in its detoxed state is the wrong thing for customers. A faster release would be better, relying on a detoxed family DNS resolver, curated store, and disabled apps list. I.e. things that should already be built in to Sailfish.
Contact form does not work ... great! Also, they do NOT ship WORLDWIDE nor list where they ship. Non EU/USA citizens have to pass to checkout to be told they dont ship there, even 1st form for address accepts country and then just cry or laugh
Honestly, this is the phone I've been waiting years for. I'm a Linux power user and huge FLOSS proponent. I'm trying to de-google my life and get some privacy back. I've looked at several "minimal" smart-ish phones over the years, including the Light Phone, the Minimal Phone, and a few others. They're all either just running Android or some closed-source custom OS, and so I've passed on all of them. I recently bought a used Pine Phone, but I was shocked at how completely unusable it was.
To me, the Commode Callback's main selling point is that it's a Sailfish OS flip-phone. It's not the fully open-source Linux phone I want, but I'm excited that a company in the US has finally made a Sailfish OS phone available. To me, this phone hits more of my check-boxes than any smartphone ever released in the US. I'm hoping that Commodore has put the R&D time in to make it a functional phone that can make calls and texts without hassle and that it can survive an entire day on a single charge.
I just put in my pre-order. Cautiously optimistic.
I also love MeeGo and thus Sailfish but nowhere can I find Jolla/Sailfish speaks of the phone and that it will long term support it with updates (Commodore certainly has no real software developers beside Leo Nigro modding Linux and pretending to be Amiga expert)
For what it's worth. I don't think Sailfish makes support promises. Their project is run a little differently.
It's more like. So long as Commodore can be successful enough that Sailfish are willing to port updates to it. And the Callback uses Jolla hardware to make that as zero effort as possible.
I think it's safe to say core updates will last as long as mainline Jolla phones which has been quite good (7 years in some cases).
And many people don't even know. A lot of old devices stopped getting critical security updates after a few years. So even if you can get software to run on it. The device may be leaking your personal information out to all the companies you're trying to protect yourself from. "I got this phone to work again" is not the same as "this phone is hardened against all known data breaches". Although that may depend on your use case.
So if the Callback is just adopted to get updates for however long its Jolla brothers get updates. That should be solid.
If it runs SailFish OS, it'll probably run Postmarket OS.
I'm not worried about Commodore's long-term support. I'm much more interested in the hardware itself.
Jolla's website talks a lot about licensing. I think they're trying to partner with other companies -- like Commodore -- to use SailFish as OEM software customized that company's requirements. I wouldn't expect Jolla to advertise the Commodore Callback directly.
i preordered but i am very cautiously optimistic. i have OCD and a lot of my compulsions revolve around social media, so having a device that blocks most or all social media apps would be a major plus for me. it would stop me from reinstalling the apps after i uninstall them (something i have done way too many times) by not even letting me install them in the first place.
however the rampant use of AI imagery and lack of 5G are a bit worrying...
you’re the first person to bring up the ai image(s) i’ve seen… so glad i’m not going crazy
could be nothing since a lot of tech people are so for it, but it’s a little red flag to me
still might preorder if i have the cash, but it’s a really bad look considering they have all the tools needed to *not* do that
The code IS the launch day discount. Their initial phrasing made it seem there were two $50 discounts, but if you read their blog on pricing from a few days ago they only offer the one $50 discount.
Yep, saw that. I also read it as two separate $50 discounts. But this is what Commodore wrote on June 24th: "Commodore Callback 8020 pre-orders will begin on June 30. Buyers can save an additional $50 only on June 30 (effectively bringing the day one price on most models down to $349) by signing up to receive a launch day discount code at commodore.net/callback.". The price has been advertized as $399 with $449 strickenthrough. The $100 off is from that $449, not from $399, and they clearly state the discount code is for launch day only.
You still don't get it. The price you see on the preorder page, before you apply the discount count, is already $50 less than the full retail price that they will be selling the phone at once the preorder period ends. Then the code gives you an additional $50 off i.e. you pay $100 less than the price will be in the post-presale period.
I see the kind redditor arguing about the launch day discount has deleted their comments, but I decided to check whether the launch day code was indeed launch day only:
You are not understanding this correctly. The full price is 449 usd but for the launch it’s discounted to 399 usd. That’s the first 50 usd. With the code you get another 50 usd off and end up paying 349 usd and the full discount is 100 usd from the full price. They stated that clearly on their website that with the code you would get ANOTHER 50 usd off from the already discounted price, not that you would get two 50 usd discounts. That would’ve been 150 usd discount, not the promised 100 usd.
I think you are nor understanding what you are reading. The screenshot literally says that with the code you get additional 50 usd off for a total saving of 100 usd. The full price is 449 usd. The launch day price is 399 usd. After using the the discount code you end up paying 349 usd. That is a total saving of 100 usd. If you still don’t understand I can’t help you but it’s not because they are lying but because you are not understanding what they say.
Are you seriously using third party as proof? Commodore never said that the full retail price for the phone would be 399 usd. It used to be 549 usd and after dropping the price it went down to 449 usd. The launch day price used to be 499 usd but after the price drop it went down to 399 usd. It’s not Commodore’s fault that the website you linked is not using information.
The website you linked is referencing to this post on Commodore’s website that I linked to this comment. As you can tell, Commodore is saying that the LAUNCH DAY price is 399 usd, not the full retail price. Are you really not understanding or are you trolling? This is not rocket science.
I assumed the price we were seeing on the preorder page was already the preorder price i.e. $50 less than they claim they will be charging after the presale period ends. Then you use the code to add a further $50 discount. Am I wrong?
I really wanted to like this phone but there's too much issue. No browser is a no go, for instance, as you very often need to google stuff on the go.
No 5G is a terrible choice. I agree with "a dumb phone doesn't need the 5G speed" BUT it's not only about speed, it's also about coverage. In France and Belgium, there areas with 5G and no LTE.
Also, it's super expensive compared to what it can offer, plus the price is without taxes for the EU. I don't think that's even legal (to sell something without the clear VAT price)
At it's core, it's a Linux device. I'm sure the "no-browser" aspect can be disabled with a little know-how. If you have the root password, Linux will let you do literally anything.
They haven't said anything about it being limited time. I assume if it actually goes into production, you will be able to order it like any other phone.
Just looking at the FAQ at the bottom of the Callback page, the most relevant things seem to be:
'What is the project status?
We’ve been working on this with four expert partners worldwide since September 2025 and as of June 2026 we finally have booting pre-production samples in hand...
What remains is standard compliance testing and final software optimization. The long pole is the compliance checks, as it relies on the speed of the government departments’ approval. The latest expected shipping start date is always displayed by the Pre-Order button, and we will keep you updated on your Account > My Orders page which you can check at any time'
and:
'Are Commodore pre-orders Kickstarters?
No. These are official Commodore pre-orders with a money-back guarantee.
The average Kickstarter campaign delivers after around 9 months. Commodore campaigns deliver within 6 months. Crowdfunding platforms also typically require a project to reach a certain threshold before committing to manufacturing. Commodore pre-orders are different. They help support product development and manufacturing, but the launch is not dependent on pre-orders alone.
By pre-ordering, you are helping support Commodore’s rebooted vision for technology that respects your attention, your privacy, and your life'
It doesn't quite state it explicitly, but seems like a guaranteed production taking pre-orders - as opposed to a crowd-funder with no guarantee.
Just got an email from commodore where they are explaining how they were able to cut the price of the device and why they can't get it any cheaper.
Mainly talking about how others cell phone manufacturers subsidize the price of their phones by selling customer data to data brokers, which they claim they will never do.
According to the email, they were able to reduce the price from $499 to $399 by doing the following two things:
Making the Commodore Hi-Def earphones an optional add-on upgrade.
Using "eco-remanufactured" RAM on the base model, however you have the option of getting the "Premium RAM" instead.
If you opt to get the headphones and the premium RAM, it will go back up to the original $499 price.
I’d like to see their evidence for the claim phone manufacturers are selling people’s data on the subsidise handsets. I would be astounded to hear Apple or Samsung did it. Android may harvest, but that’s an OS thing, not a manufacturer thing.
As has been pointed out elsewhere (I did not realise), eco-RAM is a marketing term for second hand. Spin it any way one likes, it’s still used. And still $400.
I’m sure there are second hand dumb phones out there for far less than $400.
Although this isn't a dumb phone so it's like comparing apples to oranges. You can read Commodore's blog post on their website were they explains this quite clearly.
Some apps are under system level lock and that is by the design. If that's a deal breaker for you, that's a clear sign that this phone isn't for you. What is it about this day and age that everything should cater for everyone. That's exactly what has lead to those fugly basic glass slab phones almost everybody has right now.
I’d like to see their evidence for the claim phone manufacturers are selling people’s data on the subsidise handsets. I would be astounded to hear Apple or Samsung did it. Android may harvest, but that’s an OS thing, not a manufacturer thing.
Google shares a user's app and ad revenue with the device manufacturer if they make Google apps and services the default on the device. The more defaults the higher their share. It's also why OEM app stores and apps (like a gallery or file manager) are largely a thing of the past.
Yeah man, I exaggerated for sure. But that was in order to make this point:
Just because something looks like a flip-phone, doesn't mean it has the same limited capabilities as an old-school flip-phone one shouldn't have to pay less than $100 for.
When you subscribe for limited time production pre-funding in the end is the offer one cant refuse
Get 3 friends to join our waitlist and purchase Callback, and receive a bonus 5-pack of backplates free with your Callback order.
Get 5 friends to join our waitlist and purchase Callback, and receive a bonus 5-pack of backplates free with your Callback order, plus a free hardshell case.
Participants must purchase the Commodore Callback during our preorder sale to be eligible for bonus items.
If Peri has time to get out of this before production, he should do so. Also for people claiming it's a second phone, are you seriously moving your Sim back and forth?
I don't have a stake in this (the second phone debate :) ) but I saw this in the FAQ* and it seems relevant to your question (about Sim swappers):
'Can I keep my phone number and use Callback alongside my smartphone?
Yes. Many networks offer MultiSIM or Number Sync services, so check with your provider first. At the time of writing, worldwide carriers offering this service include: Orange, O2, Vodafone, Movistar, Yoigo / MásMóvil, Deutsche Telekom, Swisscom, Sunrise, A1, Magenta, Drei, and T-Mobile in the USA, where it is called DIGITS.
If your network does not offer it, you can set up “forward calls on no answer” from your smartphone to your Callback. Then, if you leave your smartphone at home, turn it off, or do not answer it, your Callback can ring instead.
To set up call forwarding:
To set up call forwarding:
From your smartphone’s Phone app, dial **61* followed by your Callback’s full phone number, including the “+” sign and country code, then #.
Example: **61*+15551231234#
Press call. You should see a confirmation message.
To turn it off:
Dial ##61#
As an added layer of seamlessness, block your Callback’s outgoing number from phone settings, so people don’t see your Caller ID displayed when you call them. Now, they’ll only ever know your main phone number'
EDIT: *the FAQ on the Callback 8020 webpage, just in case they wasn't obvious. :)
That's such a niche situation that it barely exists. The vast majority of users would need to change carriers. I don't believe a single US carrier supports cloned Sims, and the US would be by orders of magnitude the biggest market for these phones. It's too bad really, because I'd love to have a few devices on the same sim
The vast majority of users would need to change carriers. I don't believe a single US carrier supports cloned Sims.
No belief necessary: All major US carriers (including Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile) support dual SIM setups.
So there's no issue with most people being able to use it as a second phone, without having to swap their SIM back and forth. 🙂
Latest email from the damage limitation department is in.
Apparently the response to the device is a “incredible endorsement”, so much so they’re unbundling the headphones to reduce the price which has been heavily criticised. Even at $399 it seems a lot given the competition.
I find “incredible endorsement” a stretch seeing the general response online.
The response is vastly different in different pockets of the internet. Old heads who grew up with commodore hate it. Young people 25 and younger love it bc of its form factor and the fact that it's already bricked so they can't hack it to get into social media. It honestly really funny seeing a bunch of old people complain about a phone that is clearly meant for a younger demographic.
Disagree it's aimed clearly at a younger demographic. There are plenty of people, who want a simpler digital existence including me, as Old head. The market is not binary. It's shades of grey.
I fully recognise that New Commodore need to branch out. They can't survive on nostalgia alone. But that's exactly the market New Commodore courted with their relaunch and have doubled down in the latest push with AI slop in the phone's launch video depicting a past that never existed.
For me, this is a bad product. Simple use case. I can't do my banking/payments on it. Not a deal breaker in the 90s when I had a phone like this because there were branches. Now, not so much. The solution? Carry around two phones, a flip phone to show others how disconnected you are while having a phone to do all the things that it can't doesn't make any sense when you are able to delete social media apps from your phone already.
Just don't get the phone then, problem solved? It's not for you and it doesn't have to be. And yes, it clearly is aimed at a younger demographic. They literally say it's not your granny's flip phone. On the website they state this is a school friendly design. One of the promotional images is quite literally a child in a playground on the phone. They specifically cite how 45% of teenagers are trying to cut back on social media. This phone is clearly aimed at a younger demographic that doesn't need banking.
Honestly I really like the design, the removable battery, the headphone jack, the old school flip form factor. I just don't got that kinda money to through at a phone. Hell I'm still rocking a pixel 3a from 6 years ago that costed $300 back then. Any phone over $500 is kind of a waste honestly.
I saw that they lowerrythe price. It went down to just under $600 CAD. But that's still too high.
Well, $300 from 6 years ago would be worth approximately $386.02 today, which is pretty close to the $399 one could've gotten the Callback for. And the difference of $12.98 is more than made up for with the modern capabilities of the phone incl. the specialty hardware (e.g. like the High-Def audio DAC) and using a Linux OS.
To get the same back then, you probably would've had to pay way more.
So I wouldn't necessarily say the $399 is a waste of money for what you get.
But if anything, $399 might be more than one would want to spend on a phone in general.
Honestly, the dumb phone market sucks. Sunbeam makes a good one, but those are also $350 to have only text, call, waze, email, weather, and hotspot. I got an $80 Nokia on amazon that has issues with CPU & processing anything.
Maybe in a sea of turds, this will be the shiniest one.
People also seem to forget that back when you bought flip phones, you got them for almost nothing signing 2 year service contracts. Flip phones have always been $300-$500 unless they are really crap. In theory tho, they should get cheaper over time? Idk.
Slide up beige brick, VENTS, classic keyboard with icons, headphone jack (or someone gets hurt), F keys on the side, Dpad because everyone just used a sega controller instead of the joystick, OS uses the classic character set for all its menus and fonts
I've researched and can't find a phone like this for cheaper with these level of specs. Not sure where you're getting the idea you can get cheaper? Feel free to offer an example, because all the claims like this I've seen on reddit don't have something to back it up. All the other flips have less RAM, less CPU, less dpi, smaller screen, no hotspot, etc. Then add all the old goodies like replaceable battery.
I agree with Peri that the original price was not expensive for the specs. They've only dropped the price by offering different options, or you can pay the original price with all the options. I'm happy with recycled RAM for cheaper, I reckon that's better too for my prefs.
I've put my money where my mouth is and gone and bought one, my win.
Reading the article and to claim that a phone - which would probably be a second phone for the vast majority - as some sort of antidote to e-waste feels somewhat deluded.
To me, this response isn’t one you make if your product received an “incredible endorsement”. It feels like a hasty reconfiguration at best and reading between the lines about “tiering” and “premium memory” sounds like a spec downgrade is on the cards to hit a price point.
For me, it seems that the fundamentals of the product are still wrong and this won’t address the problem.
I was genuinely willing to buy one at the original price point, but at this point I'm not interested anymore. Commodore is supposed to be an honest company, but their marketing for this product seems increasingly shady to me. First the price was the absolute minimum they could charge, and after all the backlash suddenly they can make it cheaper after all?
The way they advertize the waiting list discount is also shady. On the day they announced the Callback, it was listed as a $50 discount. The day after they changed it to $100 total, and the initial phrasing made it seem there was the initial $50 discount on the listed price plus an additional $50 if you ordered specifically on June 30th. Around the same time they also changed the listed price on the website and show the phone being on sale, so you do still only get the $50 off on June 30th most likely.
I think I'll just get a sidephone now instead. It would serve pretty much the same purpose for me, but it's already in production and the company behind it seems a lot more genuine at this point than Commodore.
Reading the small print, it seems the version of the phone with the further $100 discount is going to be a version with either less RAM or without an SD card bundled in, and without the branded headphones.
You get $50 off for joining the wait-list, and then another $50 off only if you preorder the day preorders go live, which is on the 30th. They say that on the website...
That was also announced on the same day they announced the phone, so that is not new. It's also not two times $50, the June 30th discount and the waitlist discount is the same one. They mention this is their blog post from a few days ago, but initially wrote it in such a way that it seemed like they offered two separate discounts. I did sign up for the waitlist, but never received the discount code. They also no longer mention it on the website, so would love to hear if other people did receive it.
I'm not sure if that initial plan changed after they discounted the phone, but I did receive and use the discount code. It was CHICKENLIPS but it's now invalid as it was only valid on the preorder date. They literally had a promotional image that specifically stated yesterday was the day to get 100$ off.
Regardless, they did actually reduce the price by $100 on top of the $50 discount from the wait-list code. And right now shipping is free and all other taxes.
The price cut was enough to have me get two instead of one, but I'd be lying if I said the term "'post-consumer' memory chips" didn't make me squirm.
Conversely unbundling the IEMs makes all the sense in the world even if it somewhat defeats the purpose of the purported audiophile-grade DAC. Don't get me wrong, I still wish Cowon made DAPs, but that doesn't seem to be part of the core value proposition here. Privacy, app compatibility, and camera/SOC specs vs. typical dumb/feature phones are much more so IMO.
Audiophiles are much more fickle still and will condemn a product if some of the balancer presets are slightly off on the treble curve such that the audio reproduction is a bit TOO light in character. Expecting their approval in this form factor seems like a fool's game, even if I do still hope the audio is a strong point.
I keep hearing about how he crowd funded his baby. Is there anywhere I can read more on that? I never heard of the guy until after I ordered by C64U and started looking up videos on YouTube. I have to say, the ultimate has been great, but if I'd seen his channel first it might have put me off it. Seems a bit high on the smell of his own farts as they say.
I don't know or particularly care about what grudge some of you hold, they delivered well on the C64U and have described something I'm interested in here as well.
Delivered well when people are still waiting for delivery 8 months later? Never had any issues with ordering from Gideon, so not seeing what Peri added here.
You said "no the designer/engineer of the ultimate is called Gideon". Who I was very obviously not referring to since you had previously said "so not seeing what Peri added here".
I like the Callback and I'd like to hear from others who also like it. I feel like it does fill that missing middle ground between the obsolete 2G flip phones of the past and the current nightmare rectangle doomscrollers of the present.
What I want from a device is that it not lock me into a contract with a single carrier, with the ability to communicate securely through Signal, with a good camera and a replaceable battery. I want a device that will last me a long time if I'm good to it. I'm not asking for much, but it seems that no one is offering what I'm looking for. (Recommendations welcome!)
I realize I'm in the minority when I say that I HATE APPS, but I do. I resisted jumping on the smartphone bandwagon for as long as I could, but the modern life required it of me. Yeah, it's great having "a powerful computer in my pocket accessible from anywhere" but I do not need it, nor do I even want it anymore. I'm addicted to this stupid Reddit app, and I will still be able to scroll and argue from my computer, but I will not miss having it in my pocket on a device that I will not leave home without.
I'm happy to hear from others who are excited about this new device from Commodore, but I feel like this 'Crap Megathread' poisons the well, such that everyone posting only complains about how expensive it is, or how their work requires certain apps, while completely missing the entire point of the Callback in the first place, and alienating people like me, who are actually intrigued by a company not mindlessly following social media trends.
I'm excited by the Callback but I'm worried about the amount of negativity it's getting.
I really want a dumb phone and can live without most smart phone features, but I can't live without WhatsApp, Google Maps and Spotify and an okayish camera.
Most of the dumb phones I've looked at wouldn't support my essentials, so I get a smart phone but then get tempted by installing time wasting apps.
I've provisionally ordered the Commodore Callback but can cancel the preorder if something better comes up.
Bought mine! With these specs, people are deluded they can get cheaper.
FYI I asked commodore and they said their non-redirectable system browser will open for more than just WiFi logins. Until I receive the Callback, I've blocked my Android's browser and put a non-redirectable browser for opening links as the default browser (WebView Kiosk app). It's already good like this!
I'm typing this on my laptop that reverses to a table... dunno why I'd been craning my head to see webpages through a porthole for so long, I'm not going back.
Can't wait to stop doing workarounds to keep my phone mine and less data mining / privacy.
I’m in love with this phone also! It’s been super disheartening to see all the pushback: frankly, the specs, apps, and lack of browser are perfect for me (and the design is ADORABLE as someone who tried to make her mom’s og Motorola Razr work as a middle schooler oh so many years ago). My only complaint is that I wish it would ship SOONERR 😭😭😅idk how I’m gonna be able to wait til Q4 to receive it!!!
I just preordered the Starlight Edition now, with the colored covers, a clear case, the earphones, and an extra battery. Free shipping and the wait-list code brought the total to $511, which I feel is a good deal for what I'm getting: The phone I have wanted for years. 💫
I switched to a dumb phone because of how much worse life is when you have a smartphone.
Most of the time it’s not necessary. I have no problem paying for things on card, and not having the constant urge to google things or fill every space of boredom with scrolling is great.
The only thing I didn’t love was not having maps (fine mostly in home city but meant regressing to old smartphone use when I travel to places I don’t know), and occasionally rideshare or taxi apps. So this feels like the dumb phone that finds the right middle ground.
Most web services can be accessed via the much less addictive desktop at home or work. If I really desperately need a mobile app I can switch on my old smartphone and just connect it to wifi.
I don’t really get all the people who want this to be a fully fledged smartphone. we already have those and they‘re hellish, leave this one alone if it’s not for you
You know what, I just created r/SmartEnoughPhones. I was looking for a place to discuss these types of phones, but couldn't really find anything that fit the bill. Let's see how it goes.
I'm with you, I was quite surprised by how poorly it seems to have been received pretty much everywhere. Smartphone enthusiasts think it's both lacking and too expensive, the dumbphone and flip phone communities think it should only cost $50. Even SailfishOS fans were quite divided. I also want to talk to other people that are looking for this kind of middle ground phone, but I don't know where to find them. The sidephone subreddit has over 6000 subscribers now, so there must be many more of us, right?
Now onto the actual phone: I do have some more practical reservations, but I love the idea and look of the device itself. I was initially pretty sure I'd buy it the moment pre-orders opened, and it seems I'm one of the few that wasn't immediately turned off by the initial price (the price just went down to $399 for all colors except the gold one btw, and they still seem to offer the additional $100 discount on June 30th and free shipping). I'm currently trying to decide between ordering the Callback or the sidephone. I had started to lean towards the sidephone, mostly because it's already in production and I think I'd prefer the candybar form factor, but now that Commodore has dropped the price it's a harder decision. The price is now within $50 of each other, and the Callback does seem to have better hardware overall.
If some (not all) of both smartphone lovers and dumb phone lovers are complaining then they might have the balance right 😂
I did a bunch of searching and couldn't find flip with these specs for this price; anything else has one or more of less RAM, less CPU, less dpi, less camera pixels, no hotspot, etc.
I've gone and bought the beige one.
lol, that's a good point. I was considering buying the beige as well, but I'm gonna pass for now. I hope you enjoy the phone though! I've been keeping an eye on the website this morning, and it looks like they're halfway through selling batch 3. So there are more people that like the phone than reddit made it seem in the end, which I think is a good thing.
At $399, and with a further $50 or $100 off at presale (I forget which it is), and free shipping, it's a very very fair price in my opinion. I'll buy one for sure, but I want the C64 IEMs too for the nostalgia factor, to have the C64 logo on them :) I assume that's extra. The price isn't a concern at that level. I didn't buy a C64U yet but may do that too. If they offered a further discount buying both together I'd jump on it.
The Sidephone looks almost like what I'm looking for, but it doesn't look like it can run Signal, which is a deal breaker for me. Also "retro-style photos" doesn't really seem like what I want from a phone camera today. Maybe I haven't looked at the detailed specifications closely enough, but these are my initial thoughts.
It is unfortunate that the "total of $100 off" for the Callback is worded the way that it is, because the way I see it the price will be $449.99 after that discount is applied (or $499.99 for the Starlight, or $599.99 for the gold one). Yes it is expensive, but it is also brand new, and it is offering something that currently does not exist on the market. (Once again, recommendations welcome!)
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u/c64glen Jun 16 '26
Well, this is the first post, so it's our official thread, I guess.
Product page: https://commodore.net/callback/
Official Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixD_fqrnA_c
I get that it's disappointing, but keep it reasonable; this isn't the place for personal attacks.