GoKawiilWhat just happened? The company that gave the world the Commodore 64 and the Amiga is back with a flip phone. Commodore has unveiled the Callback 8020, a retro-styled handset for people who want to escape their smartphones without giving up every modern convenience. Whether they want to spend $499 doing so is another question.
The Callback 8020 is being pitched as the "not dumb dumbphone," sitting somewhere between a basic feature phone and a full Android device.
It's powered by Sailfish OS, the Linux-based operating system from Jolla, and can run 99% of Android apps through a sandboxed compatibility layer. What it purposely will not run are social media apps, web browsers, email, Slack, Teams, and other attention-sucking work or feed apps.
Commodore says it has developed patent-pending technology that prevents browsers and social media apps from being sideloaded, while DNS-level blocking should stop them from working even if someone finds a way to install them. Users can still sideload nearly anything else if it's not available on the Commostore, but apps designed for doomscrolling remain off limits.
That means useful services such as WhatsApp, SMS, Signal, Telegram, WeChat, Spotify, Uber, Lyft, maps, podcasts, QR scanning, voice notes, and hotspot support work, but the likes of Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Gmail, and browsers do not.
Also read: The Commodore Story: Gone But Not Forgotten
The Callback 8020 has a 3.25-inch 480 x 640 internal display, a MediaTek Helio G81 chip, 4GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, a 48MP Sony rear camera, an autofocus front camera, dual SIM support, USB-C, a headphone jack, FM radio, and something many of us miss from flagships: a removable battery.
There's no 5G as Commodore argues that 4G VoLTE and Wi-Fi better fit a device meant to discourage constant streaming and scrolling.
There are plenty of nostalgia buttons, too. The phone uses T9-style texting with predictive input, includes Commodore SID ringtones, ships with a selection of Commodore and Sailfish games, and even includes Snake.
The main screen is touch-capable but disabled by default, while the outer display keeps things deliberately sparse, showing basics such as time, battery, signal, and notifications via dome LEDs.
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