retro Revival: Physical Phones Tap Into Growing Desire to Disconnect From Smartphones
New โขYork,โข NY – A growing backlash against constantโฃ smartphone connectivity is fueling surprising demand for a decidedly low-tech product: the landline telephone. Physical Phones, aโ startup founded by creator Goetze, has generated over $280,000 in sales since launching in July 2025, selling more than 3,000 โunits of its Bluetooth-connected handsets.
The idea originated from Goetze’s โown apartment,where a pink landline phone was used to answer the building’sโ intercom and make calls. After sharing a video of the device online, he was inundated with requests,โค initially anticipating only 15-20 pre-orders.Within the first three days, sales reached โ$120,000 (approximately Rp. 1.9 billion).
Physical Phones,currently offering five models priced โขbetween $90โ and $110,bridges the gap between smartphone functionality and theโ tactile experience of โขa conventional phone. The โhandsets connect to iPhones or Android devices via Bluetooth, ringing for incoming โฃcalls – including those from apps like WhatsApp, FaceTime, Instagram, and Snapchat – and transferring audio. Users can also dial numbers directly or activate their smartphone’s voice assistant forโค contact-specific calls.
Goetze attributes the success โขto a broader cultural shift. “It really felt like we captured a veryโฃ rare moment of โluck,” he said, addingโฃ that the business โaligns with a growing โขmovement focused on reducing screen โขtime and smartphone โdependence. He links this trend to the impact of theโฃ Covid-19 pandemic,โ which drove increased reliance โฃon digital connection, and a subsequent โconsumer fatigue withโฃ tech company influence and โAI-generated content.
“Our attention spans are getting shorter. We feel more anxious. we are โฃless present in the moment and can’t enjoy life. We are experiencing a total loneliness epidemic,” Goetze โstated.
Physical โขPhones โฃis now partnering with an electronics โmanufacturer to scale production, with the first shipments to customers scheduled forโฃ December.
