{"id":19176,"date":"2026-06-16T20:31:13","date_gmt":"2026-06-16T17:31:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ilove8bit.fi\/?p=19176"},"modified":"2026-06-17T21:05:12","modified_gmt":"2026-06-17T18:05:12","slug":"commodore-callback-8020","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ilove8bit.fi\/es\/hotlist\/commodore-callback-8020\/","title":{"rendered":"Commodore Callback 8020 -The hybrid phone"},"content":{"rendered":"

Commodore’s new phone coming in 2026\u20132027\u2014pre-orders begin on June 30, 2026<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Commodore is unveiling an unconventional product\u2014this time, it\u2019s a phone that isn\u2019t a smartphone. But it\u2019s not a basic phone either, nor is it a smartphone\u2014although it can run Android apps if needed. The market has been lacking phones that are more advanced than basic models, featuring instant messaging capabilities, a decent camera, and the ability to share a Wi-Fi hotspot connection\u2014for example, with a laptop. From a Finnish perspective, Commodore\u2019s phone is interesting because of its operating system connection. Jolla, a company with roots in Nokia, has joined the project, and Commodore\u2019s phones run on Jolla\u2019s Sailfish operating system.Who is the Commodore Callback 8020 hybrid phone intended for?<\/p>\n

What\u2019s the idea behind Commodore\u2019s phone?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Constant exposure to the internet is harmful; excessive use causes side effects such as a decline in cognitive skills, attention disorders, addiction, and social media-related issues. But today\u2019s networked society almost forces people to be constantly online, even though it can be harmful. Constantly staring at a screen means mindlessly scrolling through streams of meaningless information. Tech companies have made phones indispensable and built in features that spy on and analyze users; privacy is practically nonexistent. And quitting the Internet isn\u2019t something you can just do on a whim, since doing so could lead to losing relationships and leaving things undone.<\/p>\n

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The idea behind Commodore\u2019s new phone is to take back control of phone usage. It doesn\u2019t come with a web browser or email by default, but it does include instant messaging options such as WhatsApp, Signal, Telegram, and iMessages. Unlike basic phones, it also comes with a decent camera and a Wi-Fi hotspot, which allows you to connect your computer to the internet. In practice, you don\u2019t miss out on anything, since phone usage is managed more through the computer, but you can still use the phone to message just like a smartphone via instant messaging apps. Whether the phone is a Commodore or another brand, this hybrid between a basic phone and a smartphone is a welcome addition to the market\u2014and it\u2019s compact, too. It\u2019s hard to find a smartphone these days that\u2019s both compact and easy to carry. Commodore\u2019s phone focuses on mobile messaging in a compact form factor. Hopefully, there\u2019s room in the market for this kind of concept, since for some people, basic phones offer too few features, while smartphones are bulky devices with too many features and lack privacy protection.<\/p>\n

Who is the Commodore Callback 8020 hybrid phone intended for?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2022 People who want or need to reduce their daily Internet use.
\n\u2022 People who need a small phone with a decent camera.
\n\u2022 People who want to return to using the Commodore brand and loves retro products.
\n\u2022 Individuals and organizations that need their phones to have a long battery life.
\n\u2022 Individuals and organizations that are concerned about privacy and data security.
\n\u2022 Individuals and organizations that want to reduce the power of tech giants.
\n\u2022 Employers who want to minimize the amount of time their employees spend online.
\n\u2022 Organizations that work on security issues.<\/p>\n

When the phone is available, you can check out the Commodore Callback 8020 phone at the traveling \u201cI love 8-bit\u00ae\u201d exhibitions that can be booked from The Computer Museum of Kallio<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Verdict<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

The concept behind the hybrid phone developed by Commodore is a good one. It shouldn’t be compared to smartphones, because it isn’t one. It should be compared to the target audience\u2019s needs and how it meets them. The start is promising, at least. But what about the price? At least initially, the phone is quite expensive, but it\u2019s important to remember that Commodore doesn\u2019t make money off users\u2019 data. However, the money for developing, manufacturing, and marketing the phones has to come from somewhere. Privacy is a luxury these days, and it comes at a price. That\u2019s reflected in the price of Commodore\u2019s hybrid phone. Everyone can decide for themselves whether it\u2019s worth it in a world where the internet has destroyed privacy.<\/p>\n

What does Commodore say about the Commodore Callback 8020 hybrid phone?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The following text and promotional images were taken from Commodore’s website<\/a> on June 16, 2026. The story continues after the photos.<\/p>\n

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What is being written about this topic in the media? We’ve summarized a few articles here.<\/h5>\n

(Sharon Harding <\/a>\u00a0Arstechnica<\/a>

The name behind the best-selling desktop computer of all time (Commodore) made a comeback about a year ago. Christian \u201cPeri Fractic\u201d Simpson, best known as the host of the Retro Recipes YouTube channel (now Retro Recipes x Commodore), purchased Commodore Corporation along with \u201c100 percent of the original and official trademarks that have defined the Commodore name since 1983,\u201d according to a press release issued in July 2025. Simpson said the purchase price was \u201cin the low seven-figure range.\u201d Since the acquisition, the brand has launched the Commodore 64 Ultimate model and the Commodore 64X PC, a mini-computer housed in a case reminiscent of the Commodore 64. Today, the new Commodore unveiled a new device with a retro design: a flip phone. The Commodore Callback 8020 capitalizes on the renewed interest in basic phones. Although the Commodore phone has an internet connection, it blocks web browsers and social media \u201cat the system level using patent-pending technology,\u201d as stated in the company\u2019s press release. The phone supports other internet-based features, such as maps and QR codes. Fractic told Ars Technica that Commodore\u2019s app store, Commostore, operates on a whitelist basis, and that \u201csocial media and browsers will never make it onto that whitelist.\u201d He added: \u201cWe have also developed patent-pending technology that prevents these apps\u2014and only these apps\u2014from being sideloaded onto the device. \u2026 Users can download almost anything else they want from the web if it\u2019s not available on Commostore, but we\u2019ve drawn a strict line against any apps that encourage doomscrolling. Just in case someone finds a way to bypass this block, we\u2019ve also blocked access at the DNS level. So even if you manage to install TikTok, you won\u2019t be able to access its servers.\u201d<\/i> The Callback 8020 runs the Linux-based Sailfish OS, developed by Jolla, a mobile technology company founded in 2012 by former Nokia employees that also manufactures phones. According to Commodore, its phone supports \u201cover 99 percent of Android apps\u201d through Sailfish OS\u2019s Android runtime environment\u2019s app compatibility layer, including Spotify, Signal, and WhatsApp. Commodore has also preloaded the phone with some games from the Commodore 64 era.<\/p>\n

The Callback 8020 is a major step for the new Commodore brand and demonstrates an interest in creating new, nostalgia-inducing products rather than simply re-releasing old devices. With the Callback 8020, the brand may be seeking to strike a balance between leveraging newer technology while preserving some of the principles from the early days of modern mobile computing. Commodore\u2019s press release refers to \u201ca growing number of consumers, parents, and decision-makers who are questioning the costs of constant internet connectivity,\u201d and its goal is for the Callback 8020 to represent \u201ca return to technology\u2019s original promise: tools that serve their users\u201d and \u201cwhere the customer is not the product.\u201d Furthermore, the announcement claims that the phone does not \u201ccollect personal data without consent,\u201d does not use data for commercial purposes, does not track cookies, and does not \u201cmonitor user activity.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s something very fitting about a company like Commodore\u2014which went out of business in the 1990s\u2014returning, ready to step into its Y2K era, just as consumers are beginning to return to that simpler technology,\u201d Fractic noted in his statement. The Callback 8020 is priced between $500 and $640, depending on which of the five color options is chosen. It\u2019s cheaper than the latest Motorola Razr flip\/foldable phone (which starts at $800) and falls into the mid-price range among other premium phones designed to minimize distractions, such as the WisePhone II ($400), Light Phone III ($699), Light Phone II ($299), and Boring Phone (NZD 499, or about $291). We\u2019ll see if people are willing to pay for nostalgic simplicity and retro branding when shipments begin, which Commodore plans to happen in the fourth quarter.<\/p>\n

Read the full article on the Arstechnica<\/a> website >><\/em><\/p>\n

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(Carly Page, theregister.com<\/a>, June 16, 2026).<\/p>\n

Retro computer brand Commodore has brought the spirit of the pre-internet era to the mobile phone market with a $500 flip phone that is proudly delivered without social media, email, a web browser, or most of the features that people typically buy smartphones for. The company unveiled the device, named Callback, this week and is marketing it as a privacy-focused antidote to \u201cdoomscrolling.\u201d The device was developed in collaboration with the Finnish company Jolla, whose Sailfish OS operating system has its roots in former Nokia engineers. This Linux-based cell phone aims to strike a balance between a traditional cell phone and a smartphone.<\/p>\n

Commodore has removed email, social media, web browsing, workplace chat apps, and AI assistants, but has brought back physical control buttons and T9-style text messaging.<\/p>\n

Instead, buyers get a flip phone with a 48 MP Sony camera, FM radio, HD audio support, a selection of Commodore-themed games, and enough Android compatibility to ensure that \u201c99 percent\u201d of Android apps work through Sailfish OS\u2019s compatibility layer. \u201cPhones used to be fun. Then they became too smart\u2014both for themselves and for us,\u201d said Commodore CEO Peri Fractic, who explained that the idea stemmed from his own efforts to reduce screen time before he became a father.<\/p>\n

The company strongly emphasizes privacy as a selling point and promises that it won\u2019t collect data secretly, that users won\u2019t need to log into an account, that data will be stored encrypted, and that its business model is a so-called \u201cprivate, non-profit\u201d one. For many tech veterans, however, the real draw may simply be the logo on the front of the device. Long before smartphones, app stores, and algorithm-driven news feeds, Commodore devices were a fixture in bedrooms, classrooms, and living rooms around the world.<\/p>\n

For a certain generation of geeks, the brand still brings to mind the loading screens of cassette tapes, the soundtracks produced by the SID chip, and the countless hours spent typing out programs from magazine listings. That is precisely why the company keeps coming back to life. Commodore International went bankrupt in 1994, but the brand has spent most of the time since then passing from one owner to another, all of whom have sought to capitalize on the popularity still associated with the name.<\/p>\n

Read the full story at theregister.com<\/a><\/em><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Commodore’s new phone coming in 2026\u20132027\u2014pre-orders begin on June 30, 2026 Commodore is unveiling an unconventional product\u2014this time, it\u2019s a phone that isn\u2019t a smartphone. But it\u2019s not a basic phone either, nor is it a smartphone\u2014although it can run Android apps if needed. The market has been lacking phones that are more advanced than … Lue lis\u00e4\u00e4<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":19181,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[77],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-19176","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hotlist"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ilove8bit.fi\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19176"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ilove8bit.fi\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ilove8bit.fi\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ilove8bit.fi\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ilove8bit.fi\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19176"}],"version-history":[{"count":23,"href":"https:\/\/www.ilove8bit.fi\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19176\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":19303,"href":"https:\/\/www.ilove8bit.fi\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19176\/revisions\/19303"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ilove8bit.fi\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/19181"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ilove8bit.fi\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19176"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ilove8bit.fi\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19176"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ilove8bit.fi\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19176"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}